[Sportschosun Lee Woo-joo] On "Special Report World," Hongju shared an update on her life as she undergoes chemotherapy for stage 3 ovarian cancer.
The MBN program "Special Report World," which aired on the 2nd, showed the daily life of the couple Baek Seung-il and Hongju.
Baek Seung-il, a former ssireum wrestler and the youngest-ever Cheonha Jangsa champion, married trot singer Hongju and became a celebrity couple loved by many. But after Hongju was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer, Baek, once known as a carefree husband, has transformed into a devoted partner and is taking meticulous care of his wife.
Baek Seung-il is also in charge of managing his wife's diet during chemotherapy. He said, "I often make foods that are said to be good for the immune system. Spinach, greens, mushrooms." He added, "I heard tofu is good because it is rich in protein. I've become an expert on cancer. First, I need to give my wife everything that is good for her body." Hongju, who said chemotherapy has left her nauseous and with severe numbness in her hands and feet, lamented, "It feels like I'm being tortured by electricity all the time. Even painkillers didn't help."
Hongju was diagnosed with cancer unexpectedly three months ago. Baek Seung-il recalled, "Four months ago, she said her lower back hurt. She went to a traditional Korean medicine clinic alone, got acupuncture and took medicine, but it didn't get better. Two weeks later, she said her lower abdomen hurt. She went to an OB-GYN, and they told her to go to a larger hospital for more tests. When she went there, stage 3 ovarian cancer was discovered."
Hongju had already undergone a hysterectomy after cancer cells had spread to her lymph nodes and the peritoneum. Baek Seung-il said, "The surgery date was set on my birthday. The day before, she cooked seaweed soup and brought it to the hospital. I thought, what am I to her, and what does a birthday even matter?" Hongju explained, "I did it because it makes me feel at ease. It's something I always did. He's my husband, and I always trust and rely on him, but in my heart I also cared for him like my eldest son. So I felt I had to take care of him like a mother would."
To support Baek Seung-il, who wanted to pursue his dream of becoming a singer, Hongju gave up her own dream and ran a snack shop to support the family. She even took on the care of her mother-in-law, who has dementia, and later developed depression and binge eating disorder. Hongju said, "Honestly, it hurts. It makes me look back on my life, and I end up feeling resentment, even if I don't want to. I keep thinking, 'Why have I only been able to live like this?' I regret not being able to express the pain I carried in my heart, and I regret living like a fool. If I had known this would happen, I would have done everything I wanted and lived proudly. I thought enduring it would lead to something better, but all that came back was this illness and the way I am now. Who can I blame?"
Hongju's condition fluctuates several times a day because of chemotherapy side effects. Still, she hid her pain from her daughter. Hongju said, "My daughter is only 14. She's still a child, so I can't go before her. I had those thoughts. I also thought something bad could happen. Once I fell into those thoughts, I couldn't pull myself out. So I tried very hard to steady my mind. I prayed a lot."
That night, Hongju was rushed to the emergency room with a sudden high fever. Her fever and chills grew worse. Fortunately, her condition improved only around dawn, and she returned home. Baek Seung-il said, "After her second chemotherapy shot, it was around 4 a.m. She said she felt nauseous. She got up, vomited, and when we checked her temperature, it was 41 degrees Celsius. Her face and even her eyes were red. I thought she might die, so we went straight to the ER. This time, after her third chemotherapy shot, it happened again."
wjlee@sportschosun.com
