Hyeeun Lee Says She Carried Sleeping Pills Because of Dark Thoughts, and Endured for Her Children: "I Didn't Want Them to Hear Bad Things About Their Mother" ('Day & Night')

[Sportschosun reporter Jung An-ji] Singer Hyeeun Lee opened up about a painful period in her life, saying, "Panic disorder came with it. At my worst, I had dark thoughts and carried a lot of sleeping pills with me."

On the 33rd episode of MBN's "Kim Joo-ha's Day & Night," which airs on Saturday the 11th, Hyeeun Lee said, "During my illness, panic disorder came along too. If I didn't take medicine first, I couldn't sleep," describing a time that was endlessly difficult and leaving many viewers heartbroken. She also revealed how desperate she felt at the time, saying, "At my worst, I had dark thoughts and carried a lot of sleeping pills with me." Lee said she held on because she did not want her son and daughter to hear bad things about their mother from people around them if something happened to her, touching many hearts.

After a long time passed and everything around her was settled, Lee said she only got back in touch with her close friend Jeon Young Rok after appearing on the variety show "Let's Live Together." When Kim Joo-ha asked, "How did you pay back that enormous debt?" Lee replied, "I sang like crazy," once again moving everyone with the hardships she had endured. In a past appearance on KBS2's "Park Won-sook's Live Together," Lee had said, "I'm still in the process of paying off debt. I erased about 10 billion won myself."

The event also surprised everyone with the revelation that Jeon Young Rok, who once worked as a true multi-talented entertainer as a lyricist, composer, singer, and actor, has written nearly 300 songs. In particular, he stirred the room by mentioning major hit songs he had written and composed himself and then gifted to others, including Kim Hee-ae's "Don't Forget Me," Yang Soo-kyung's "Love Is Like Rain Outside the Window," and Kim Ji-ae's "A Cheeky Man."

Jeon Young Rok also said he composed Lee Ji-yeon's "Wind, Please Stop" in just five minutes, adding, "Yoo Hyun-sang from Baekdusan is a friend of mine, and he came to ask me to make a song like 'Don't Forget Me.'" He said he first wrote a song called "After That," but was then asked for one more fast-paced song. He then revealed another surprising behind-the-scenes story, saying he struggled at first because the melody would not come to him easily. Attention is now focused on the full story behind the making of "Wind, Please Stop" that Jeon Young Rok shared.

Meanwhile, Jeon Young Rok shocked everyone by revealing that the original recipient of "Don't Forget Me," which became a massive hit when sung by Kim Hee-ae, was actually actor Lee Deok-hwa. Jeon explained, "Lee Deok-hwa said he liked ballads, so I made a song and played it for him, but then I went into the military." He added that while Jeon was serving in the army, Lee Deok-hwa, who had been riding Jeon Young Rok's motorcycle, was involved in a traffic accident. In the end, Jeon released "Don't Forget Me" as a song to be placed under an album while he was in the military, and it later became Kim Hee-ae's song. Kim Joo-ha, Moon Se-yoon, and ZOZAZZ expressed disappointment, saying, "We want to hear Lee Deok-hwa's version too," drawing laughter.

Meanwhile, Hyeeun Lee, who is marking her 51st debut anniversary, is continuing a small-theater performance in Daehak-ro through August 2 this year, following last year. MBN's issue-maker talk show "Kim Joo-ha's Day & Night" is a new-format talk show that presents "day and night, calm and passion, information and emotion." It airs every Saturday at 9:40 p.m.

anjee85@sportschosun.com