[Sportschosun reporter Lee Ji-hyun] Actress Hwang Shin-hye opened up about her family story involving her brother, who is paralyzed from the neck down.
On the KBS1 program "Let's Live Together with Hwang Shin-hye," which aired on the 10th, Hwang Shin-hye, Shin Gye-sook, and Yang Jung-a shared personal family stories and spoke candidly with one another.
That day, Hwang Shin-hye grew emotional as she spoke about her brother Hwang Jung-eon, who became a mouth and foot painter after being diagnosed with full-body paralysis following an accident, and expressed gratitude to the sister-in-law who has quietly stood by his side.
Hwang Shin-hye said, "I think my sister-in-law is truly amazing. She met my brother and married him after the accident," adding, "My brother cannot move anything below his neck. It is far harder than caring for a child, and I am in awe of how she takes on all of that."
She continued, "My sister-in-law said that her prayer request is to eat a meal face-to-face with her husband just once. It moved me deeply to realize that what is such a normal part of our daily lives can be someone else's heartfelt wish."
After hearing this, Yang Jung-a said, "She must really love him very much," and Hwang Shin-hye replied, "It feels like a kind of love we can hardly even imagine."
As the conversation continued, Yang Jung-a was also reminded of her mother, who is in the hospital, and eventually shed tears. She confessed, "My wish is for my mother to look into my eyes for just five minutes, call my name, and talk with me like she used to."
Yang Jung-a said, "Since last December, my life has essentially come to a halt. After my mother was hospitalized with a spinal fracture, she has been receiving medication treatment," adding, "My younger sibling, a caregiver, and I have been taking care of her. I thought she would be back home soon, but I never expected her to remain hospitalized for this long."
She went on, "I miss the time when I could simply sit face-to-face with my mother and talk, even for just five minutes. Hearing my sister's story made me realize how precious it is to sit across from someone and share a meal."
In response, Hwang Shin-hye said, "My brother has to be fed, so someone always has to stay by his side," adding, "Hearing my sister-in-law's prayer request felt like I had been hit on the head."
Yang Jung-a said, "Until now, I used to prepare for filming with my mother, but now that I have to prepare on my own, I think about her even more," and added, "In the daily life I shared with my mother, I feel as if I have been left alone. Even when I see elderly people on the street who are around my mother's age, I tear up. She is still alive, but I miss her so much. I miss her every day." Her words left a heavy silence.
olzllovely@sportschosun.com
