Korean actress Ko So-young broke down in tears as she imagined her two children becoming independent.
On the 5th, a video titled 'Ko So-young Breaks Down During Psychiatric Consultation (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Family History)' was uploaded to her YouTube channel.
In the video, Ko So-young visited a psychiatrist to candidly discuss her mental state. She confessed, "There is never a moment when my thoughts stop. My mind is constantly racing about my children, the future, and health," adding, "I'm so exhausted that I wonder, 'Why am I like this?'"
Her husband, Jang Dong-gun, even asked her, "Why do you worry about things that haven't happened yet?" The test results were shocking. The psychiatrist diagnosed, "Your test results are similar to those of an idol trainee. You want to work hard, but your energy is depleted."
The psychiatrist explained, "You have a strong perfectionist tendency, but ironically, high perfectionism can lead to decreased perseverance and patience." He added, "You are currently in the pre-burnout stage."
Ko So-young acknowledged her compulsive tendencies and anxiety. She said, "I often hear that I worry about things that haven't happened yet," and added, "I sought counseling because I wanted to change." She has shown a pattern of expending excessive energy on small matters.
The psychiatrist pointed out 'time availability' as a cause of her condition. The time freed up as her children grew up has ironically increased her anxiety. He explained, "When you live intensely day by day, there's no time to be anxious, but when you have free time, unnecessary energy consumption increases."
Ko So-young's tendency was identified as 'risk-averse.' She has a strong inclination to maintain her current stability and achievements rather than taking on new challenges. The psychiatrist analyzed, "You are avoiding challenges for fear of losing the reputation and position you've built," and "With a lack of energy, it's even harder to start something new."
The most striking moment of the consultation was when the topic of her children came up. When asked how she would like her children to remember her, Ko So-young replied, "I want to be a friend-like mom. I want to be a parent who supports what they love."
She then shed tears, saying, "I've never thought about my children becoming independent and leaving." She expressed complex emotions, saying, "I don't want to be remembered that way, but my children might already see me as a sacrificial mom."
The psychiatrist suggested 'letting go of perfectionism' as a solution. "It's important to keep going without trying to do everything perfectly," he advised, "Until now, your motivation wasn't for yourself, so you need to find a life for yourself."
He also proposed a symbolic task of creating a 'video message for her children's wedding.' This is not just an event but a declaration of starting a new life as an individual, not just as a mother.
Ko So-young humorously declined, saying, "I don't think I can do it," and added, "Let's not touch the kids," bringing laughter. However, after the consultation, she expressed a willingness to change, saying, "I understand myself now. I couldn't do anything because of negative energy, but now I feel like I can muster the courage."
Ko So-young confessed, "Now I'm worried about how to memorize scripts," and despite being away from acting for a long time, she expressed a desire to try even if it's not perfect, signaling the start of a new chapter.
Meanwhile, Ko So-young married actor Jang Dong-gun in May 2010, and they have a son and a daughter.
By Eun-jung Kim, TenAsia Reporter eun@tenasia.co.kr