Several courageous Korean stars have bravely battled and triumphed over cancer, let us take a heartfelt look at their inspiring journey!
INFINITE’s Nam Woohyun
INFINITE’s Nam Woohyun, who released his first solo album in late 2023, recently revealed in a commemorative interview that he had battled cancer. He said he had surgery in late April of 2023 after having fan meetings and performances in January and February. He shared, “I still have severe scars from a 20cm incision in my abdomen. I was under general anesthesia for about 10 hours and barely woke up and recovered.” He expressed the difficult times he went through.
However, Nam Woohyun participated in Infinite’s comeback activities in July. Despite concerns about a possible second surgery, he made the decision to go on stage. He said, “Now that I have overcome it, I want to show that I can perform well. I also want to give courage to those who have been through similar struggles like me.” He reassured fans.
Yoon Do Hyun
Singer Yoon Do Hyun battled and received treatment for a rare form of lymphoma called Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia for three years. He recently received a complete recovery diagnosis. On the JTBC program ‘Newsroom,’ he appeared and said, “I couldn’t tell my parents or fans about my illness. I decided to overcome it on my own.” He added, “I felt a bit lonely, but the members of my group gave me great strength. Also, many people around me supported me, and thanks to them, I found the strength to continue.”
Park So Dam
Actress Park So Dam also took a break after undergoing surgery for thyroid papillary carcinoma in December 2021 after filming for her movie “Ghost”.
Park So Dam said in an interview, “At the time of filming, I didn’t know I was sick. I only thought I had burnout. It was the first time I was afraid to go on set. I think my body sent me a signal, but I thought it was just a mental problem. I was so sorry to my seniors. After the filming was over, I even cried because I was sorry.”
Park So Dam also recently returned with “Death’s Game” which was the first project she received after recovering from thyroid cancer. Thus, “Death’s Game” was a meaningful project for her. She expressed that her health had caused concerns, saying, “I think I worried a lot of people. There were difficult moments during the recovery process. Those who have experienced the same pain can understand that emotional states and physical conditions can fluctuate. My voice still hasn’t fully returned.”
Kim Woo Bin
In addition to these stars, Actor Kim Woo Bin who was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer, shared his active activities after receiving a complete recovery diagnosis.
Kim Woo Bin had taken a break from his career to focus on his battle with cancer, and returned six years later after his recovery. On an appearance in ‘You Quiz on the Block’ he said, “I was sad when I had a hiatus and only thought about the future. Of course, I enjoyed each moment, but I thought, ‘I wish I could have enjoyed it more fully.’ I try to enjoy each moment as much as possible because I regret that time.”
When asked by Yoo Jae Suk if he had any vague fears during his illness, Kim Woo Bin replied, “I was afraid. It’s scary because it’s related to life. After I recovered, I wondered if I could return to where I used to work.”
Suran
Suran had also battled cancer and kept it a secret, in a past interview, she opened up about breast cancer. She confessed, “It’s been about four years [interview in 2019] since I had breast cancer. To be honest, I had surgery and currently, I don’t have breasts. I went through that in my late twenties. It was really shocking to me. I was very girly but I feel that the feminine side of me decreased after that. I changed in a neutral gender way. The way I dress and my attitude also changed and I was afraid that my fans would see me differently.”
When asked if she had relapsed she said that there hasn’t been any relapses and that she continuously does checkups, she also added that she takes good care of herself. She also added, “I can share this now because it doesn’t because I am managing it well and its not a bother for me anymore.”
While she didn’t mention the exact age, she went through this, Suran probably underwent her battle against breast cancer when she was 28 years old considering her interview.