[Sportschosun Jung An-ji] Comedian Lee Sung-mi opened up about the pain she endured during her breast cancer battle and shared her candid thoughts on life.
On the TV Chosun program "Perfect Life," which aired on the 24th, Lee Sung-mi appeared as a guest to mark the show's sixth anniversary special.
Lee Sung-mi was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013, underwent surgery, and was declared cancer-free five years later. However, cancer often recurs even after a clean bill of health, so she said she has lived with constant fear and can never fully relax.
Recalling the period right after surgery, she said, "Don't you think surgery means it's over? The moment I opened my eyes after the operation, I felt, 'I’m alive now.' I thought, 'I need to live the life I’ve been given even better from now on.'"
But that was only the beginning of another round of treatment. Lee Sung-mi said, "I had to undergo 30 radiation treatments after surgery," adding, "My body felt heavy throughout the treatment, as if candle wax were dripping down." She went on to say, "After the 30 radiation sessions, I thought it was finally over, but then they told me I had to take chemotherapy drugs."
The side effects of the chemotherapy were even more painful than she had imagined. Lee Sung-mi confessed, "I just couldn't take the chemotherapy. It was so painful that I thought, 'I’d rather not live.'" Her words drew sympathy as she recalled how unbearable the medication had been. She continued, "What’s the point of extending life like this? If I’m going to die tomorrow, it’s better to live happily today and go." She said the treatment was so difficult that she wanted to stop it altogether. Lee Sung-mi added, "I had no motivation, I became depressed, and everything felt like a hassle," and revealed, "In the end, I asked to stop the drug treatment."
Lee Sung-mi also said, "Sister Ja-ok and Sister Young-ae both got cancer and passed away," adding, "Not long ago, I heard that Mi-sun also had cancer, and my heart broke." In particular, she said, "After Sister Ja-ok passed, I struggled for months," and expressed a deep sense of emptiness and longing, saying, "Because I couldn’t see the sister who used to open the curtain and call, 'Come here.'"
She added, "I wondered, 'I’m going there someday too, so how should I live the rest of my life?'" and said she came to organize the path of her own life.
Lee Sung-mi drew attention when she said, "Rather than living in a complicated and noisy way, I’ve often thought that I should make each day meaningful, live frugally, have fun, and enjoy it to the fullest before I go."
anjee85@sportschosun.com
