Singer Yoo Yeol has shared a heartbreaking account of his battle with pulmonary fibrosis, revealing that he was once given a death notice before returning to fans with an update on his recovery.
On January 21, 'Kim Ju Ha’s Day and Night' released a teaser video titled “Singer Yoo Yeol returns to the stage after standing at the door of death.” In the preview, host Kim Ju Ha introduced him by saying, “Yoo Yeol, the eternal youth, has returned as he is today,” before asking why the beloved national singer had been absent from the public eye for seven years.
Yoo Yeol explained that his absence was due to severe health issues. “In 2019, I was hospitalized after developing pneumonia and my fever rose to 40 degrees Celsius,” he said, revealing his long struggle with pulmonary fibrosis.
He recalled losing up to 40 kilograms during his illness, describing the period as a complete collapse. “I couldn’t even get out of bed. I needed help with everything, including using the bathroom,” he said. “I experienced delirium and hallucinations. At one point, I was convinced my friends were outside the hospital window and kept asking to let them in.”
Most shockingly, Yoo Yeol revealed that doctors had prepared his family for the worst. “I later heard that the doctor told my wife, ‘You should prepare yourself,’” he said, emphasizing how critical his condition had been.
Previously, in November 2023, Yoo Yeol appeared on the YouTube channel 'Eden Church TV', where he first disclosed his pulmonary fibrosis diagnosis. At the time, he appeared noticeably gaunt and shared that health issues had begun about six years earlier, including vocal cord problems, pulmonary fibrosis, and pneumonia, which made breathing, speaking, and singing extremely difficult.
After news of his illness spread, false rumors of his death circulated online. However, Yoo Yeol successfully underwent a lung transplant in May 2024 and was discharged in October of the same year, marking a significant recovery and a hopeful new chapter.
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