“I Thought I Was Just Burnt Out”: Actress Park So Dam Talks Working With Cancer And Her Battle With The Disease
Actress Park So Dam recently made her comeback to the entertainment industry with her latest movie, Phantom (released on January 18). Before the film’s release, the actress sat down for an interview, talking in detail about her cancer diagnosis and her battle with the disease during and after filming the movie.
In 2021, Park’s fans were left shocked when her agency revealed that she had been diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer and went under surgery to treat it. She kept away from the public eye for an entire year before making her appearance at a press conference in December 2022. She apologized to fans for making them worry and briefly touched upon her recovery journey.
With the new interview, she offered a more detailed look into her battle with the disease. Park revealed that she was in pain while shooting Phantom but dismissed it as burnout.
I didn’t know I was sick at the time of filming.I thought I was just burnt out. It was the first time I was afraid to go on set. I think my body was sending me signals but I thought it to be a psychological issue. I felt so sorry to the director and my seniors. After the shoot was over, I even cried because I felt so apologetic to them.
—Park So Dam, Newsen
Park didn’t only finish filming while she was dealing with the cancer symptoms, she also completed the post-production dubbing process while waiting for her biopsy reports.
It was such a bad situation that I had almost lost my voice. But if I were even a little late, it wouldn’t have been possible for me to do the recordings.
—Park So Dam, Newsen
Though she braved the entire process, the actress was actually anxious about how her performance turned out in the end.
But the director told me, ‘I’m not a person who says OK so easily. So, you can trust me.’
—Park So Dam, Newsen
After receiving surgery for her cancer in December 2021, Park has been on a steady road to recovery. The actress revealed that she has made quite some progress, but there is still a long way to go. But she is grateful that now she can start enjoying a normal life again.
I am grateful that I was able to recover my health and now I can meet new people and greet them with my voice…I have really improved a lot but my skin is messed up due to hormone imbalance. I’m going to pilates five to six times a week to find the steady flow of my body. I haven’t regained my full strength yet, but when I think about how it was during this time last year, I feel really happy.
—Park So Dam, Newsen
Wishing Park So Dam a healthy life ahead!
