Actor Jung Hae-in Opens Up About Struggles with Insomnia and Panic Disorder

Actor Jung Hae-in has candidly shared his painful experiences with insomnia and panic disorder.

On the September 9th episode of the tvN variety show 'You Quiz on the Block,' Jung Hae-in engaged in a conversation with hosts Yoo Jae-suk and Jo Se-ho. He revealed that despite the immense popularity he gained from the JTBC drama 'Something in the Rain,' he also faced challenging times afterward.

Jung Hae-in reflected, "I was 31 at the time, and I was lucky. I received a lot of help from (Son) Ye-jin and benefited greatly from director Ahn Pan-seok's excellent direction. Being cast in the role itself was a miracle."

However, he admitted to facing significant difficulties afterward. "Being suddenly thrust into the spotlight without being fully prepared led to an overload," he explained. He continued, "I barely slept and suffered from severe insomnia. Despite receiving so much attention and love, it was my first time experiencing it, and I needed time to accept it and strengthen myself." He also mentioned being deeply affected by negative comments.

Jung Hae-in confessed, "I am someone who must constantly stand in front of the camera and cannot avoid public evaluation. But it was terrifying and frightening. I found myself questioning, 'What am I doing?' and 'Why am I living?' which led to a reclusive lifestyle." He admitted that meeting people became daunting, eventually leading to panic disorder.

He revealed that he read all the negative comments at the time. Jung Hae-in explained, "Now I understand that there are people who support me, those who are indifferent, and even those who dislike me. I've come to accept that." He continued, "Back then, I wanted to know why people disliked me. But I realized there was no reason. They just didn't like me. There might be reasons, but ultimately, there's nothing I can do about it."

Lee So-jung, Ten Asia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr