Kwon-ho Sim Opens Up About Liver Cancer Diagnosis on 'Joseon's Love'

Kwon-ho Sim, a legendary wrestler, revealed his liver cancer diagnosis on the TV Chosun show 'Joseon's Love'.

On the episode aired on the 2nd, concerns arose as Sim was unreachable. His friends, Hyun-seop Shim and Jae-wook Lim, visited his home only to find him passed out next to empty bottles. His mother expressed her worries, saying, "Marriage? Kwon-ho is sick."

The next day, Sim confessed, "I drank and passed out. I drank a lot at once and slept for 24 hours. When I'm alone, I feel sudden anger and loneliness, which makes me drink more." Concerned about his health, the production team persuaded him to get a medical check-up.

At the hospital, Sim underwent a liver ultrasound. The doctor noted, "The liver looks quite hard. There are signs of cirrhosis," and urgently added, "That's not the main issue. We need a CT scan immediately. There's a concerning mass." However, Sim refused the CT scan.

In front of worried friends, Sim admitted to having liver cancer. He said, "It's true that it's early-stage liver cancer. I knew about it," explaining his reluctance to share the news, "Anyone in my position would be scared. I didn't want it to be known. I wanted to keep it to myself."

Reflecting on his diagnosis, Sim said, "I thought, 'Why me?' I still feel fine and active. If I had a partner, I might have talked about it, but I couldn't even tell my parents. I feared the attention and judgment that would come with cancer treatment."

Sim, who didn't want to stop his active lifestyle due to cancer, shared, "I didn't want to stop because of liver cancer. There were already so many rumors. I didn't like that. It was an escape from reality, but not really. I just wanted it to disappear. I wanted to go somewhere alone."

Encouraged by the support around him, Sim decided to undergo treatment. He optimistically stated, "Now I have to fight cancer too. It's okay, I've always won," and went into surgery with a bright smile. After the surgery, he expressed gratitude, "The liver cancer was well-treated. Thanks to the support, the results were good. I'll show you a healthy and positive side."

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