Comedian Lee Kyung-kyu. [Herald POP (now Herald Muse)]
Comedian Lee Kyung-kyu. [Herald POP (now Herald Muse)]

Comedian Lee Kyung-kyu has opened up about his panic disorder diagnosis, saying he continues treatment to this day.

Lee appeared Sunday on the EBS documentary series "Sidaemokgyeok," 46 years after his 1981 debut bringing laughter to audiences across South Korea.

Lee looked back on the many programs he has been part of over the years, including the hit show "Conscience Refrigerator." He said he had worked on about 100 programs, laughing as he added, "Seventy of them flopped."

Lee said hosting a talk show gave him the courage to share his own experiences, as listening to others' pain made him more open. "When I did the talk show, I found that people had a lot to say," he said. "Listening to their stories, I could feel the pain they were carrying."

He then recalled the period when he was first diagnosed with panic disorder. "I got sick during filming. The chest pain was so severe, but tests showed nothing wrong. My heart would pound and I'd break out in a cold sweat," he said. "I happened to visit a psychiatrist for a consultation, and they told me it was panic disorder. I hadn't even heard the term before."

He went on to say, "There's nothing I can do about the changes in my body. My mind just doesn't seem ready to accept them. Even now, I honestly can't quit the medication. I'm dependent on it."

Despite his ongoing treatment, Lee said he hopes to still be cracking jokes in front of a studio camera when he turns 80.


choigo@heraldcorp.com