Yu Yeol, who battled pulmonary fibrosis, spoke about his feelings after recovering his health.
On the 24th episode of KBS2's Unforgettable Songs, an "Artist Yu Yeol" special aired.
Since debuting in 1986, Yu Yeol is a leading figure of 1980s Korean ballad, credited with numerous hits characterized by the "Yu Yeol sensibility," including "As you are now," "It must be farewell," and "The splendid days are gone." In 2023 he was diagnosed as terminal with pulmonary fibrosis and temporarily halted activities, drawing sympathy; he recently announced his return to activities in improved health.
On the show, Shin Dong-yeob said of Yu Yeol, "He took a very long break for health reasons. I didn't know he had suffered through such difficult treatment. I heard his weight dropped to 40kg. He was in a very critical state, at times hovering between life and death," he said.
Yu Yeol recalled, "My pulmonary fibrosis had been progressing for nine years, and in May the year before last I was hospitalized with the flu, and I was in intensive care for about six months. Later, my life reached a critical condition."
He even suffered the loss of his mother while bedridden. Earlier, Yu Yeol appeared on a program and said, "At first my wife didn't tell me. She thought if I found out too late the shock would be greater. She told me, 'This morning your mother ate well, dressed nicely and went to sleep, and she passed away peacefully.' She said if I went now I wouldn't be able to come for two or three days until the funeral, so she told me to stay alert. What is most heartbreaking is that I couldn't visit her for months before she died because her condition was bad. It's so tragic that she passed away like that."
He said a miracle happened later. "At the end of July I received a lung transplant. Thankfully my recovery has been good, and the hospital was very surprised. I myself experienced an astonishing miracle that made it hard to get up. I received a lot of support and prayers from many people. Above all, I cannot find words to thank the person and family who donated the lungs," he said, his eyes reddening.
He added, "Especially when it was hard and I needed to exercise more or push myself, I thought of God. I thought of my wife and son. I thought, 'They're waiting for me out there,' and walked more and mustered strength. I felt again what the emotion from family means," he said, drawing attention.
[Photo] Broadcast capture
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