Singer Lee Sona Opens Up About Her Mother's Battle with Parkinson's on 'Baekban Journey'

Singer Lee Sona became emotional while discussing her mother's struggle with Parkinson's disease on the TV Chosun show 'Baekban Journey with Heo Young-man'.

On the episode aired on the 3rd, 'Miss Trot 4' winner Lee Sona and runner-up Heo Chan-mi joined Heo Young-man for a culinary journey in Chuncheon.

Heo Young-man asked the two about the changes in their popularity before and after winning 'Miss Trot 4'.

Lee Sona shared, "When I go to restaurants, I get complimentary services. People recognize me on the street and sometimes give me gifts." Heo Chan-mi added humorously, "I have more elderly fans now, so I receive a lot of health food gifts."

In a conversation about collecting freshwater snails, Heo Chan-mi revealed, "A friend's father had liver issues, so I once boiled snails for three hours. He wasn't just a friend; he was an ex-boyfriend." When asked why they broke up, she simply said, "I guess it wasn't meant to be."

Before her rise to fame on 'Miss Trot 4', Lee Sona spent 20 years studying traditional Korean music. Reflecting on her early career, she said, "No one recognized me before. When I held my debut concert, I was asked how many invitation tickets I needed, but I didn't need any because no fans were coming."

For her final performance on 'Miss Trot 4', Lee Sona chose Patti Kim's 'Love is the Flower of Life', dedicating it to her mother who suffers from Parkinson's. She expressed, "Just as my parents sacrificed for me, I now feel I must sacrifice for them."

Lee Sona married fellow actor Kang Sang-jun in 2021 after a seven-year relationship. The couple met during a traditional Korean music performance.

Reported by Kim Eun-jung, Ten Asia. Contact: eun@tenasia.co.kr