Actor Lee Min Ho was left comatose in this same accident.
A popular actor and TV personality recently shared his raw feelings about living with a life-threatening diagnosis as a result of a serious car crash years ago.
The actor in question is Jung Il Woo, best known for his appearance in the K-Drama, High Kick!
In a moving appearance on TV Chosun‘s Huh Young Man’s Food Travel, the actor recently spoke about how he has found peace and acceptance around the unpredictable disease he has been living with.
In 2006, when Jung was only 19, he was in a car accident right before making his acting debut in High Kick! Actor Lee Min Ho, Jung’s close friend, was also in the car and had been in a coma for several months due to the accident. Jung also suffered through severe physical repercussions.
Popular Actor Shares About The Deadly Accident That Left Him Immobile
Though at that time, he continued filming High Kick! shortly after the accident, in 2007, he finally started getting treatment for the physical damage he had sustained. By the age of 27, he was diagnosed with a cerebral aneurysm— a bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain that is always at the risk of rupturing without any prior warning. A cerebral aneurysm rupture could lead to serious complications such as a stroke or even death.
Jung recalled that he had become depressed after getting the diagnosis and isolated himself for a month, trying to cope with the news.
It’s a time bomb-like disease. I was so scared and anxious because I didn’t know when I would die.
— Jung Il Woo
During his appearance on MBN‘s Captain Kim last year, the actor had talked about the grim reality of his diagnosis. He recalled that the doctors had told him he could die at any moment. Jung also shared that he was undergoing follow-up checkups every six months for the last ten years.
While this highly unpredictable condition pushed Jung Il Woo toward an unfathomable level of anxiety and fear, he set out in search of peace, walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in Spain thrice! The actor shared that during his first trip, he cried inexplicably during mass, but afterward felt like he had been “cleansed.” He recalled it as the happiest moment of his life.
The actor has somewhat attained a calm acceptance of his condition, pushing forward in his life. He talked fondly of his mother on the show, sharing adorable details of their recent outings and trips.
Though he joked about his financial situation, Jung continues to give back to society. He recently joined a blood donation relay for the Korean Red Cross’s 120th anniversary and World Blood Donor Day. He is also a known philanthropist, having participated in campaigns such as baking for underprivileged groups, international aid, and donations for children with rare diseases.
After a two-year absence from the screen, Jung is set to make his comeback to the small screen in KBS2‘s upcoming weekend drama, Splendid Days. The show is slated to premiere on August 9, 2025.
