Yena became emotional while reflecting on the guilt she felt during her childhood battle with cancer.
On the August 3rd premiere of SBS’ Love Against Time, cast members shared journals documenting their illnesses and the emotional toll their diagnoses took on their families.
The dating reality show follows young people who have faced life-threatening illnesses as they open themselves up to love again.
One participant, Kim Sun Ho, revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer while serving in the military and struggled to tell his parents because his family was already facing financial hardship.
“I felt like I was placing another burden on them,” he said. “I knew this would break my parents’ hearts, so I couldn’t tell them.”
Reading from a journal he kept at the time, Kim recalled being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer while on active duty. His condition worsened rapidly, and doctors told him that an unknown illness appeared to be destroying his bones.
He later revealed that he had anaplastic large cell lymphoma, a rare form of blood cancer. “The narcotic painkillers didn’t even work,” he said. “I really thought I might die.”
Kim shared that he had promised two fellow patients they would recover and go out for a beer together.
“There were three of us, but I was the only one who survived,” he said.
He has since been declared cancer-free after completing five years of follow-up care.
Kim’s story deeply resonated with Yena, who previously revealed that she battled lymphoma as a child.
“When I was sick, I kept seeing my parents and family falling apart and hurting because of me,” she said through tears. “There were times when I thought, ‘Maybe this is all my fault.’ I related to him so much.”
Yena also recalled the financial burden her treatment placed on her family.
“Hospital bills were so expensive,” she said. “Even though I was very young, I remember seeing my parents leave to sell kimbap to pay for my treatment.”
>> Yena’s Agency Responds to ‘Hate Rodrigo’ MV Removed Following Objections From Olivia Rodrigo’s Side
In the meantime, watch trending K-dramas for free on Amasian TV.
Source (1)
