Choi Kang-hee. [Newsis]
Choi Kang-hee. [Newsis]

Actor Choi Kang-hee has opened up about her days as a heavy smoker, revealing she has now gone six months without a cigarette.

Speaking in a video released Monday on the YouTube channel "Lee Seong-mi's Mot Ganda," Choi said she could not avoid the topic of smoking. "I was a heavy smoker," she said.

She explained that her habit began after she turned 20, driven largely by her love of socializing. "After filming wrapped, the people I wanted to hang out with would head outside, and I think the biggest reason I started was that I wanted to be there with them," she said.

She then recalled always picking up bad habits quickly. "I used to think to myself, 'I'm someone who just can't quit smoking,'" she said.

She added that she smoked whenever she had the chance. "I think I smoked even more because of anxiety and feeling awkward in social situations," she said.

Quitting, however, came in an unexpected way. "When I felt like I was smoking for no real reason, I'd tell myself, 'Let's wait a little longer,' and I just kept putting it off — and before I knew it, six months had passed without a cigarette," she said.

She attributed the change to a spiritual experience. "I think the dopamine from worship was stronger. It was truly a miracle for me," she said. "Right now I have absolutely no craving for cigarettes. Even when I smell smoke, I don't want to light up again. I just stopped — naturally."

She was careful to note the experience may not apply to everyone. "I can't say this method works for everyone, but for me it was a miracle," she said, adding that she felt it may have been thanks to someone's prayers.

Meanwhile, Choi made her debut in the 1995 KBS drama series "Sinse-dae Bogo — Eoreundeureun Mollayo" and has since appeared in numerous drama series and variety programs. In September, she will take the stage in the play "Closer" — her first theatrical performance in roughly 30 years since her debut.


min3654@heraldcorp.com