[Sportschosun reporter Jeong An-ji] Actor Hyun Bong-sik opened up about developing a sleep disorder and hair loss due to burnout, revealing that a doctor warned him at the time, "Your body is like a living corpse."
He opened up about the difficult period he went through after sudden burnout struck amid his flourishing acting career.
On Maeil Broadcasting Network (MBN)'s "Kim Joo-ha's Day & Night," which aired on the 19th, Hyun Bong-sik opened up about the difficult period he endured after sudden burnout struck amid his flourishing acting career.
The 13-year veteran actor said that, when he was six or seven years into his career, he experienced inexplicable lethargy after wrapping up the film "Emergency Declaration." Even with filming approaching, he found himself sitting in a daze, unable to memorize his lines, and said he suffered greatly.
Hyun Bong-sik said, "Even when I told people around me that I was struggling, there was not a single person who could empathize with me. Only the head of my agency understood," conveying the pain he felt at the time.
Hyun Bong-sik said that after his burnout, he developed a sleep disorder that kept him from sleeping properly, as well as hair loss. He surprised everyone by revealing that a doctor had warned him at the time, "Your body is like a living corpse." Later, thanks to a friend's married couple, he received treatment for his hair loss. He also said that meeting hometown friends who were like brothers helped him overcome his burnout, moving viewers with his story.
Hyun Bong-sik also shared the story of facing strong opposition from his mother when he decided to move to Seoul to become an actor. After his father passed away, his mother tried to stop her only son from going to Seoul to pursue acting, even threatening to disown him. Hyun Bong-sik said, "I heard that my mother, who had been worried about me the whole time, set out a bowl of cold water and prayed, saying, 'Hurry up, fail, and come back home,'" stirring emotions. However, after Hyun Bong-sik was cast in one project after another and returned to Busan to share the news with his mother, she showed a completely different attitude and asked, "So how much are you getting paid?" The revelation sparked laughter.
After enduring difficult years working as an extra and taking minor and supporting roles, Hyun Bong-sik announced that he had finally landed his first leading role in a film, 12 years after his debut, earning applause from everyone. He will play an immature father in "Your Father," his first leading film role, which is scheduled for release in the second half of 2026. Hyun Bong-sik said he accepted the role because it is the directorial debut of a director with whom he worked on an independent film about 10 years ago. He said, "More than being happy that I'm playing the lead, I feel better about being part of this director's first project after 10 years and growing together with him," leaving a heartwarming impression.
anjee85@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
