AKMU's Lee Su-hyun Opens Up About Her Struggles and Transformation Journey

Lee Su-hyun of AKMU has candidly shared her struggles for the first time.

On the 17th, a video titled 'All About Lee Su-hyun's Blooming Project' was uploaded to her YouTube channel.

In the video, Lee Su-hyun opened up about her slump and diet journey through the 'Blooming Project.' She confessed, "I felt like I couldn't go on any longer, and it was unbearably painful," revealing her extreme emotions.

Lee Su-hyun explained that the fatigue and pressure accumulated from her early career gradually consumed her. She said, "Since K-pop Star, I've been continuously active, and the accumulated damage was there," adding, "I wanted to rest, but the structure didn't allow it."

The situation worsened when her solo album, prepared after her brother Lee Chan-hyuk's enlistment, was canceled, leading to extreme frustration. She recalled, "I felt powerless and frustrated, and I was sorry to those I worked with."

Recovery was the challenge. Lee Su-hyun admitted, "I thought I was doing music because I loved it, but I was just a part of the system," and "I was shocked by the reality that I couldn't rest even when it was hard." She eventually endured with the mindset of "having no choice but to continue."

However, the end of endurance was collapse. She confessed, "When I felt I had no energy left, it turned into mental issues," and "there were many terrifying sensations." The belated rest became a poison. She said, "When I was given freedom, I couldn't rest healthily," and "I filled all pleasures with binge eating."

Lee Su-hyun lived in seclusion for about 1-2 years. She revealed, "After becoming independent, I was in a state I couldn't control, and I gained 20-30kg rapidly," adding, "I hated seeing myself in the mirror, and my self-esteem dropped, so I avoided people even more." She explained, "It was a vicious cycle of eating when stressed, gaining weight, and avoiding people."

The turning point was her family, especially her brother's intervention. She said, "My brother suddenly came and talked to me about my condition," which led her to visit a hospital. There, she was diagnosed with depression, insomnia, social phobia, and panic disorder, realizing, "I was mentally very ill."

That experience turned into hope. Lee Su-hyun said, "The doctor told me, 'This is a curable illness,' and hearing that, I felt saved for the first time." She added, "I realized I wasn't someone who couldn't return, but someone who could recover with effort."

Lee Su-hyun decided to face her issues. She said, "I went on the Camino de Santiago. I faced the problems I was avoiding. I realized how overweight I was. The weight affected my feet. I felt for the first time how much my stamina had dropped and how heavy I had become," and "When I returned to Korea, I thought for the first time, 'I need to diet for myself.'"

It was not just about losing weight but 'a process of changing life.' Lee Su-hyun emphasized, "In the past, I dieted because of others, but then it was for my survival." She added, "It was a choice I made because I wanted to live like a human being."

Lee Su-hyun said, "I fought with myself every day for two years," and "I vowed not to waste my life anymore." She concluded, "What I achieved means you can do it too," and encouraged, "Let's create a healthy and happy life together."

Kim Eun-jung, Ten Asia Reporter eun@tenasia.co.kr