Singer Park Seo-jin opened up about his difficult past on 'Salim Nam'.
On the broadcast of KBS2's entertainment program 'Salim Nam Season 2' (hereafter 'Salim Nam') on the 7th, Park Seo-jin's daily episodes were revealed.
On this day, the family’s circumstances were disclosed during a psychological counseling session, revealing Park Seo-jin's long-standing wounds. Previously, Park Seo-jin's father had shocked viewers by revealing that Park Seo-jin had attempted extreme choices multiple times after taking medication.
Park Seo-jin's father recalled the horrific past, saying, “I was at home when I received a call. They said Seo-jin had taken medication and to come to the hospital quickly. When I arrived at the emergency room, Seo-jin would collapse if he was stood up and was unconscious, unable to control his bodily functions. I had already lost two older sons, and I was always anxious about possibly losing Seo-jin as well.”
Park Seo-jin's father, who is always anxious about his son, shared that he often watches his son's videos, saying, “When he performs, I don’t just watch him sing; I check if he’s in pain or if his face looks okay. When I see negative comments on the videos, I worry that Seo-jin might make another wrong choice, and I can’t sleep for two or three days.”
Seo-jin's father has been struggling with guilt over the loss of his two sons, who passed away 49 days apart 15 years ago. While caring for his first son in Seoul for two months, he briefly left to perform a 49-day ritual for his third son, during which the first son passed away, leaving the father with the regret of not being able to see his son’s last moments. The guilt over his two sons has weighed heavily on him for over 15 years, leading to constant worry and anxiety about his son Seo-jin.
Park Seo-jin opened up about the reasons behind his past extreme choices. He said, “Everything was difficult overall. Things weren’t going well in Incheon, so I returned to my home in Samcheok, and that’s when the incident happened.” He recalled, “When I started playing the janggu (a traditional Korean drum), I heard all sorts of comments at the market. I received harsh words from seniors, which was very hard for me.”
In the past, Park Seo-jin revealed that he was verbally abused by a senior who told him, “If you’re ugly, poor, have no money, and can’t sing like you, you shouldn’t be a singer,” shocking everyone.
However, the pain didn’t stop there. While playing the janggu at the market, he was told, “You shouldn’t lower the dignity of a singer,” and some fans even declared, “I’ll leave if a singer goes to such a place.” Park Seo-jin shared, “I couldn’t bear that situation and ended up taking medication, showing my dad a bad side of myself.”
Despite the heavy burden of being the head of the family at a young age, Park Seo-jin felt he couldn’t lean on anyone. Through psychological counseling, he expressed, “After my brothers died, I felt a lot of pressure to succeed quickly. I didn’t want to burden my family, so I couldn’t say I was struggling,” shedding tears.
During a psychodrama session, facing his younger self, Park Seo-jin revealed, “I’m struggling too. Sometimes I want to lean on someone,” and during a conversation with his mother, he showed vulnerability for the first time since his birth, breaking down in tears and moving everyone who was watching.
After the counseling, Park Seo-jin stated, “I feel like I’ve found hope to slowly untangle the tangled threads of my heart, and I’ve gained courage. I’m worried, but I feel closer to my family. I’m still visiting the hospital and receiving treatment well.”
Meanwhile, Park Seo-jin recently revealed that he received a military exemption. However, it was revealed that he had made statements in past interviews suggesting he was preparing for military enlistment, leading to controversy over his honesty. Ultimately, Park Seo-jin bowed his head, saying, “I sincerely apologize once again to everyone who felt disappointed by this incident.”
[Lee Da-kyum, Star Today Reporter]
