Moon Ji-in Breaks Down After Losing Her Brother With Developmental Disabilities: "He Kept Riding Buses Around Alone" ('Dongchimi')

[Sportschosun Jung An-ji] Actress Moon Ji-in was moved to tears as she spoke about the special bond she shares with her younger brother, who has a developmental disability.

On the MBN program "Dongchimi" aired on the 27th, Moon Ji-in talked about her brother's developmental disability.

That day, Moon Ji-in said, "My younger brother is 11 years younger than me. Because he has a developmental disability, his cognitive level is about that of a 3- or 4-year-old."

She said she had cared for him like a mother since childhood. "Because of the big age gap, I often had to take on the role of a guardian," she recalled. "Even when I should have been out playing with friends, I came home early to take care of my brother."

She continued, "My parents were also very focused on academics. I think they had high expectations of me." She added, "But that was hard for me." Moon Ji-in said, "When I was in high school, I went through puberty and lashed out at my parents because my emotions were all over the place." She added, "But instinctively, I think I knew I couldn't go off track. No matter how unfair it felt, I knew I couldn't go astray."

Moon Ji-in said, "My parents are optimistic and positive. If there is a child who doesn't grow up, don't you have to raise them for life? My mother said, 'I'm happy because I get to raise a child forever.'" She added, "Growing up hearing things like that, I couldn't help but respect my parents."

Moon Ji-in recalled the most heartbreaking moment of all: losing her brother. She said, "My mother went out with my brother and lost track of him. She even posted on social media asking for help." She continued, "My brother always held my mother's hand when they went out, but while she was on the phone, he got on a bus by himself."

Without a mobile phone, he did not even realize that he had lost his mother, and spent the whole day transferring from bus to bus.

Moon Ji-in said, "We lost him during the day and found him at midnight." She added, "He had just kept riding buses around. I don't usually cry, but that day I couldn't stop crying."

She said, "He was waiting at the police substation. It felt like a miracle." She added, "That was when I realized how precious my brother is to me." Her account drew attention as she described how the siblings became even closer and more devoted to each other after the frightening ordeal.

anjee85@sportschosun.com