Subhi Agrawal
South Korean actor Kim Woo Bin recently shared his experience of overcoming a severe period in his life when he battled cancer. While promoting his new Netflix film Officer Black Belt, Kim Woo Bin revealed that he is now cancer-free but had once been given only six months to live.
Took A Break From His Entertainment Career
His new Netflix film is an action comedy. To promote it, he appeared alongside co-star Kim Sung Kyun on the YouTube channel “Zzanbro Shin Dong Yup” on September 16.
On the show, the Korean star spoke about his struggle with nasopharyngeal cancer, which was diagnosed in 2017. After the rare diagnosis, his agency issued a statement revealing that he had started radiation treatment and would be taking a break from his entertainment career.
Ten months later, Kim shared details about his treatment. Following his diagnosis, he was exempted from mandatory military service. Just before the world was hit by the pandemic in 2020, he received the encouraging news in 2019 that he had been fully recovered.
Reflecting On His Cancer Struggle
Kim Woo Bin stated while reflecting on his cancer challenge, he is “naturally a positive person, someone who always tries to find the silver lining in any situation.” He also mentioned that he felt his entire life had been “shattered” when he received the devastating news.
“It was like a scene from a drama when the doctor suddenly said, ‘If it’s short, you only have six months to live.’ I was shocked and scared, and I wished it were just a dream,” he said, reported by Wion News.
However, Kim Woo Bin remained calm and focused on maintaining a positive mindset. He viewed the treatment period as an opportunity to rest, regain his strength, and return even stronger. He said, “So many people, simply because they recognised my face, offered their support and prayers. I believe that support gave me strength.”
After his full recovery, Kim Woo Bin returned to acting with roles in the 2022 sci-fi film Alienoid, alongside Ryu Jun Yeol and Kim Tae Ri, and its sequel Alienoid: Return to the Future in 2024. In K-dramas, he appeared in Our Blues(2022) and Netflix’s Black Knight (2023).
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