Actor Kim Woo Bin Told He Had “Six Months To Live”—How He Overcame The Fear
In the latest episode of comedian Shin Dong Yup‘s YouTube show on his channel Zzanbro, actor Kim Woo Bin guested to promote his new K-Movie, Officer Black Belt, on Netflix.
Sipping on non-alcoholic beer, Kim recalled his battle with nasopharyngeal cancer. Back in 2017, Kim shared his diagnosis and, after undergoing treatment, was declared cancer-free in 2019—making his return to the film industry in July 2022 with Alien+In.
To Shin, who commented on how surprised he was to hear the news—given his personal experience with his mother’s cancer battle, Kim admitted that the diagnosis “scared” him, too, because his doctor didn’t sound too hopeful about the treatment.
You know this, hyung, but I’m an optimistic person. I try to see the positive in everything. So when my doctor gave me the news like they do in K-Dramas… Saying, ‘In the worst-case scenario, you would have about six months,’ I was shocked and scared at first. I wanted it to be a dream, you know? But not once did I ever wonder, ‘What if I don’t make it?’ Instead, I thought of it as an opportunity.
— Kim Woo Bin
For Kim, looking at the situation in a positive light and having the undivided support of his fans helped him beat cancer.
Of course, I didn’t immediately look at it as an opportunity. But while focusing on treatment and recovery, I was able to adjust the way I looked at it. For over a decade, ever since I debuted, I had been so busy and didn’t get a chance to take any real breaks. So, I thought maybe this was a chance given by the heavens to pause, reflect, and spend time with my family.
I spent a lot of time with people I love. The treatment itself… Yes, it was hard, but it is hard for everyone. I received a huge amount of support and encouragement from people simply because they knew me. So many prayers, too. And I truly believe that gave me the strength to beat cancer. I was making such good progress that it even surprised the doctors. I was making visible improvements. And I know that it was all thanks to the support and prayers that I recovered so quickly.
— Kim Woo Bin
Since then, Kim has found it his “personal mission” to spread the same kind of energy for those who might need it.
I always think about the support that I received. And I want to pass it on to more people. So, before going to bed, I started praying for more families to experience miracles. It has become like a personal mission for me… To remember what I received and to give it back to others.
— Kim Woo Bin
Watch the full clip here.
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