Lee Kyung-jin Opens Up About Breast Cancer Battle and Loss
South Korean actress Lee Kyung-jin recently shared a deeply personal account of her two-year battle with breast cancer, revealing the emotional and physical challenges she faced, including a significant weight loss of 38 kilograms (approximately 84 pounds). The actress discussed her experience on the YouTube channel ‘찐 여배우들’ (Real Actresses), detailing feelings of loneliness during treatment and the relief she felt after avoiding a total breast resection thanks to a doctor recommended by fellow actress Travel Doo-shim.
Diagnosis and Initial Treatment
Lee Kyung-jin was initially diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2012 during a health checkup. She initially received a diagnosis requiring a total breast resection at another hospital. However, after being connected with a specialist at Seoul National University Hospital through Go Doo-shim, she learned that a total mastectomy might not be necessary. “The doctor looked at me and said, ‘I don’t need to have abstinence,’” Lee Kyung-jin recalled, expressing immense relief. She described the feeling as a prayer answered, allowing her to avoid a procedure she feared.
Battling Loneliness and Physical Challenges
The actress described a period of profound loneliness during her treatment. “When I was in the hospital, when I was having a hard time, even my brothers would leave,” she confessed, with Ahn So-young expressing sympathy, noting that people often sense most alone when ill. Lee Kyung-jin also experienced significant weight loss, losing 38 kilograms due to the cancer and its treatment, struggling to absorb nutrients and sleep.
Grief and Resilience
Lee Kyung-jin’s cancer diagnosis followed a period of personal loss, having attended the funerals of her mother and sister within a year. She also spoke about the emotional weight of facing the illness shortly after completing home repairs, feeling a sense of unfairness. She emphasized the emotional toll of considering breast removal, stating, “Removing a breast feels the same as removing one of your arms, but men don’t think that way.” She recounted a negative experience with a doctor who dismissed her concerns, stating she “hated that person” and no longer seeks their care.
Career and Background
Born in 1956, Lee Kyung-jin is a veteran South Korean actress with a career spanning several decades. She debuted in 1975 and has appeared in numerous television dramas, including Working Mom Parenting Daddy, Joseon Survival Period, Through the Waves, and Three Bold Siblings. She has also appeared in films such as Love in Magic, Almost Love, and Ayla: The Daughter of War. She was a Cultural Broadcasting Talent in the 1st period (1969).