Lee Soo-kyung confessed that she suffered from an unidentified skin disease that made her consider retirement, which was the reason for her hiatus.
On the 18th episode of the SBS Plus and E Channel program 'Solo because,' Lee Soo-kyung shared stories about her hiatus.
That day, Lee Soo-kyung was depicted doing therapy with edible aroma oils, which is also said to help relieve hangovers. Shin Dong-yeob laughed and said, "Everything is a hangover."
Lee Soo-kyung began by saying, "I studied for a year," and mentioned that "my skin was so bad that I couldn’t work. It got worse every day in just a day or two, and I was shocked when I looked in the mirror," she expressed. She noted that it was at a point where she couldn't even touch it. Lee Soo-kyung described the serious condition of her skin that forced her to stop working, saying, "My face was so severe that it couldn't be covered with makeup, and I couldn't work," sharing photos showing how the skin disease spread all over her body.
Lee Soo-kyung recalled that "her entire face looked like a teenager’s acne all over. It happened in just a few days, and there was no solution." She mentioned that even the hospital could not determine the cause, saying that they didn’t know why it was happening, which made her consider retirement due to the unidentified skin disease. Lee Soo-kyung said, "It was really tough, and then depression came, and I developed social withdrawal. People I saw a week ago were saying, 'Why are you suddenly like this?' This made me feel depressed, and at that time, I had to change companies," highlighting the complex physical and mental issues she faced.
Lee Soo-kyung, who debuted at 20 and had been actively working, stated, "I took a break for quite some time." It turned out that she had a hiatus lasting four years from 2020 until 2024. Lee Soo-kyung reflected, "It was a time when I had to change my career if the skin disease didn’t heal, crying every time I faced someone. I was so afraid someone would see my face that I even hated looking in the mirror," she said tearfully.
Lee Soo-kyung noted, "So, I studied various things I could do after retirement from the entertainment industry," sharing her recent acquisition of certificates in aroma therapy, dog training (level 3), and family crafts.
Miraculously, Lee Soo-kyung stated that her skin recovered, mentioning, "I don’t really know. The hospital didn’t know either," and added, "It took two years for my skin to gradually heal." She expressed, "Looking back, that tough time was necessary for me," and now she can calmly discuss it, stating, "I think of it as a grateful time now." Regarding the improvement of her symptoms, Lee Soo-kyung said, "At some point, I felt that it was important for my heart to be happy."
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