Koo Sung-hwan shares his journey of self-care amidst the pain and stress of vitiligo treatment.
On the October 10th episode of MBC's variety show 'I Live Alone,' Koo Sung-hwan was seen visiting a hospital for his vitiligo treatment, while SHINee's Minho enjoyed his 'favorite day.'
Koo Sung-hwan visited the hospital for his vitiligo treatment. After developing vitiligo following an overseas film shoot, he has been diligently applying sunscreen to manage it. However, a recent test result was not favorable, prompting him to revisit the hospital. The doctor explained, "Due to an immune response, pigment cells are destroyed, causing white patches. This inevitably worsens the skin condition." Koo was visibly concerned upon learning that, although his skin pigmentation had improved with sunscreen, the vitiligo patches had expanded. He expressed shock, saying, "I've gained a lot of weight, and the vitiligo has spread to the areas where I've gained weight."
During the treatment, Koo endured the pain that pierced through the anesthesia. He candidly shared, "I wonder if I have to live like this," adding, "My biggest hope is that it doesn't show. I try to stay positive, but the stress is actually greater than I express." After the painful treatment, while receiving skin soothing care, he unexpectedly displayed a 'conqueror of the earth' look, bringing laughter.
Later, Koo visited his 'fifth hometown,' Itaewon, to enjoy his favorite burger and indulge in some Hollywood 'effortlessly chic' style shopping to soothe his weary heart. He struggled to find the right size in a clothing store he liked. Since middle school, his broad shoulders, long arms, and short legs have made it difficult to find fitting clothes.
After much effort, he purchased a jacket that matched his taste but expressed disappointment over the size issue, eventually heading to a big-size store to buy a short-sleeve shirt. Koo revealed, "I actually weigh 112kg," and shared his goal, "I aim to reduce it to 95kg by the sports day."
Tae Yuna, TenAsia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr