Veteran voice actor and actor Kim Ki-hyun recently opened up about his wife's battle with cancer on the TV CHOSUN show 'Perfect Life,' which aired on the 27th.
The 80-year-old, known as the 'national voice actor,' appeared on the show alongside his wife, Son Young-hwa. Kim Ki-hyun surprised everyone by perfectly recreating the voices of iconic characters such as the conductor from 'Galaxy Express 999,' the wizard Wang Jil-ak from 'Mighty Mite,' and Jang Tae-hwan from 'The Fifth Republic.' Panelist Lee Sung-mi jokingly asked Kim's wife if it felt refreshing to live with a different husband every day, to which she replied, "At home, he's just an ordinary husband. The only difference is that after a fight, when I leave the house, his voice follows me on the radio," bringing laughter to the set.
Kim's wife has battled colon cancer, lymphoma, and lung cancer. Kim shared, "My wife was diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer 20 years ago. Since it was stage 2, she didn't need chemotherapy after surgery. Three years later, it spread to her lymph nodes, requiring 12 rounds of chemotherapy. Another three years later, it spread to her lungs, and she underwent 19 rounds of chemotherapy. She lost all her hair and couldn't bear to look at herself."
His wife recounted the ordeal, saying, "I didn't know it would be so painful. Nausea was constant, and I vomited. My peripheral nerves became so sensitive that my skin peeled off my hands. I was in so much pain that I couldn't button my clothes." She admitted, "By the 19th round, I just wanted to stop."
Witnessing his wife's struggle, Kim Ki-hyun expressed his wish to avoid life-prolonging treatments. "Seeing people in the hospital, it looked too difficult," he said.
The couple also shared their daily life, focusing on health with low-sodium meals and joint exercises.
Kim Ki-hyun and his wife discussed their thoughts on the end of life. Kim said, "I want to go first, but that's my selfishness. I believe I should take care of my wife until the end. But I'm eight years older, and she's been sick first. I often wonder what will happen if she goes first. It's frustrating and sad." His wife added, "I hope to go first. I think my husband will take care of everything, so I can go peacefully."
Reported by Kim Ji-won, TenAsia bella@tenasia.co.kr