In 2017, South Korean actor Kim Woobin (김우빈) sparked concern after revealing his nasopharyngeal cancer diagnosis. The star has since overcome the disease and appeared in many successful projects. Recently, he opened up about his experience and how his illness changed him.
On 12th October 2025 (Sunday), Kim Woobin appeared in an interview on musician Jung Jae-hyung’s (정재형) YouTube channel. During the interview, the musician brought up the actor’s past illness. For those unaware, Kim Woobin is a nasopharyngeal cancer survivor. The star revealed his diagnosis in May 2017, and in December that year, his agency announced that Kim Woobin had completed his treatment, effectively overcoming the disease.
In the video, Jung Jae-hyung recalled Kim Woobin’s illness, saying, “I was surprised when I heard about your illness. It must’ve been because you worked yourself to the bone.” The 36-year-old acknowledged the statement, but then responded with positivity, saying, “I just thought of it (his diagnosis and hiatus) as a vacation given by the heavens.” Jung Jae-hyung then noted the actor’s hiatus seemingly ended up being a meaningful period for the star.
Kim Woobin agreed with the sentiment, saying, “I think only the good things remain (from that period). That time I spent resting was a good gift”. He then opened up about his hardships, explaining, “Honestly, I don’t remember the pain. The level (of pain) was too high. So now, that pain no longer exists in my life and only the good things remain.” He also mentioned how his illness changed his mindset about life.
The actor said, “I realised there are so many things I took for granted, like loving others and being loved. I have become grateful for all these things. I then came to believe that the heavens gave me a wonderful gift during that period. Since then, my mindset became much better and my heart felt so much lighter.” Jung Jae-hyung also noted that Kim Woobin’s personal growth is apparent in his recent works.
In the comments, fans showered praise for Kim Woobin for his mature outlook on his hardships and expressed gratitude that the star persevered through his pain. The actor currently stars in the comedy series “Genie, Make a Wish (다 이루어질지니)”, which is now airing on Netflix. Check out the clip of Kim Woobin’s interview with Jung Jae-hyung and the trailer for his latest drama:
@lapakkorea.com Pada 12 Oktober, Kim Woo Bin hadir sebagai tamu di acara YouTube Fairy Jaehyung. Kim Woo Bin menceritakan banyak hal tentang karier dan perjuangannya melawan kanker. Memulai percakapan tentang perkembangan kondisi tubuh, Jung Jae Hyung berkata, “Kamu terlihat lebih sehat sekarang. Apakah ini tubuh yang sama yang dulu tidur satu jam dan berolahraga dua jam?” Kim Woo Bin menjawab, “Dulu seperti itu, tapi sekarang aku lebih memperdulikan tidur yang cukup. Aku jauh lebih sehat karena aku tidak lagi melakukan hal-hal buruk pada tubuhku.” “Dulu, kalau saya punya waktu tiga jam, 1 jam dihabiskan untuk tidur dan sisinya olahraga. Tapi sekarang aku menggunakan tiga jamnya untuk tidur,” jelas Kim Woo Bin yang kini lebih memperdulikan kesehatannya. Terakhir, Kim Woo Bin cerita bahwa sakit yang dirasakan dulu melawan berada di level tinggi. Karena sudah diberi kesempatan untuk sembuh, Kim Woo Bin menghargai anugerah itu dan lebih merawat diri. Fyi, Kim Woo Bin sempat hiatus panjang setelah didiagnosis menderita kanker nasofaring, jenis kanker kepala dan leher yang langka. Pengobatan panjang telah membawanya kini sehat total dan sudah kembali berakting. #kimwoobin
