Actor Lee Byung Hun's flippant remark on Son Ye Jin at a press conference for their new movie No Other Choice has attracted online criticism, but one mother of a child actress came out in Son's defense.

The mother of child actress Choi So Yul spoke out for fans on Aug. 24 via social networking sites.

"It was also surprising for us. It was actually a fun, lighthearted anecdote he shared jokingly, but we also feel it's a bit unfair how it's been blown out of proportion.

One day we'll get the chance to share the full story. What's true is that she was always very kind," she posted.

She also had a heartwarming anecdote of Son Ye Jin's kind gesture, remembering how the actress managed to obtain an elusive Christmas gift for her daughter.

"The actress gifted her an 'Aurora Ping' toy — something even 'Santa couldn't find.' It was the best Christmas present ever," she explained, mentioning that she had also posted supportive messages like "I miss you" and "Fighting" on Son's Instagram.

Earlier, during the Aug. 19 press conference, Son Ye Jin looked back on her return to acting now that she is a mother.

"Becoming a mother in real life has really helped me portray this character," she said.

Lee Byung Hun retorted with a joke. "That's not quite what I saw on set," he said, then explained that Son frequently left him to field the child actress's questions.

His next remark — "Hearing her comments today, though, I realize she really was cherishing the moment in her own way" — provoked laughter at the function.

Son Ye Jin later explained her methodology. "The child actress was full of curiosity and had a lot of questions, but since I had many emotional lines and detailed direction to follow from the director, I needed to stay focused," she said.

At the event, though, the atmosphere was light, but soon online responses veered into criticism mode, with some raising an eyebrow about Son's actions.

Some people commented, "Shouldn't she have answered at least a few?" and "So she was being fake."

With the increasing criticism, Choi So Yul's mother reaffirmed her support for the actress, emphasizing that Son Ye Jin had always been kind and helpful to her.

'No Other Choice', which had been invited to the main competition at this year's Venice International Film Festival, will be released in Korea this September.