Tails of Tales (hereafter Kkokkomu) shed light on the life and death of the late Han Hye-kyung, who was known to the public as the "fan auntie." The broadcast left a deep impression, posing the question, "Despite multiple reconstructive surgeries, why did she end her life at 57?"
The episode of SBS' Tails of Tales (hereafter Kkokkomu) that aired on the 8th revealed the theme "the lost name, Han Hye-kyung."
Han Hye-kyung was a figure who once performed under the alias "Han Mi-ok." Driven by a desire to become a more striking and charismatic singer, she repeatedly underwent illegal cosmetic surgeries, which resulted in severe facial deformation. She later appeared on the program Moment Captured: Amazing Stories in 2004, attracting significant attention and becoming a symbolic figure raising social awareness about the dangers of illegal cosmetic surgery and cosmetic surgery addiction.
Following the broadcast, she underwent multiple reconstructive surgeries, and in 2013 she shared news that she had regained a job with her reconstructed face and had begun a new life, receiving much support. However, in December 2018, Han Hye-kyung suddenly passed away at the age of 57. The exact cause of death was not disclosed, and the funeral was quietly held under the guidance of relatives.
Kkokkomu detailed the little-known beginnings of the illegal surgeries and the pain behind them. Han Hye-kyung said that when she decided to have surgery, the place she was introduced to and visited was not a clinic but a private home. Although the illegal procedures were carried out in a secretive and gloomy setting, she had entered the path of illegal surgery without even considering a plastic surgery clinic as an option.
Her face gradually changed to the point that even her biological sister could not recognize her. Testimony said that her passport photo differed so much from her actual face that identity verification at airports became difficult. Eventually, with the help of her sister and brother-in-law, she began reconstructive surgery and was fortunately able to regain some of her previous facial contours.
But the tragedy did not end there. In financial hardship, Han Hye-kyung reached the point of teaching herself illegal procedures. In writings she even wrote, "I saw nothing," indicating desperation. She used substances such as paraffin oil, soybean oil, and industrial silicone rather than medical-grade materials, which led to serious side effects.
The program pointed out that her condition was not simply cosmetic surgery addiction. Han Hye-kyung reportedly experienced auditory hallucinations such as "someone tells me to put a syringe through the window" and "I hear a voice saying 'put in soybean oil.'" In fact, her condition was so severe that she needed a diagnosis of schizophrenia accompanied by auditory hallucinations and hallucinations, but she was reportedly denied inpatient treatment because of her facial condition and was unable to receive appropriate psychiatric care.
Still, she did not lose hope. A plastic surgeon with 25 years of experience reached out to help, and large-scale reconstructive surgery was carried out. Over 2 years and 9 months she underwent as many as 15 operations, and the removed foreign material amounted to about 4 kg. In other words, she had been living with a weight close to that of a newborn on her face.
During the recovery process, she suffered the loss of her mother and experienced deep guilt and grief. However, she also vowed, "Mom, I will live again. I will live healthy and happy," expressing her determination to stand up again. With the support of neighbors she gradually regained her daily life and dreamed of singing again. An album containing her voice was released, and the lyrics "a day of living well will come, don't give up" moved many people.
But while living apart from her family, she suddenly collapsed in 2018 and ultimately did not recover. The life of Han Hye-kyung, which had been obscured by the sensational nickname "fan auntie," remains a case that shows how the dangers of illegal cosmetic surgery, gaps in mental illness treatment, and social isolation can drive a person to such an end.
She is remembered no longer as the "fan auntie" but by the name Han Hye-kyung, the singer who sang for her dreams.<
[Photo] 'Kkokkomu'
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