TVXQ’s Yunho Recalls The Trauma Of Being Poisoned By A “Fan”

In the seventh episode of TVXQ and Super Junior’s Analog Trip, their backpacking in Indonesia led them to a tunnel where they sought the light. To reach it, they had to navigate through the dark, enclosed space, which caused Yunho‘s past trauma to reappear.

When they were going through the tunnel, Yunho admitted to having a bad headache and feeling dizzy, even though he didn’t want to acknowledge it at the time. Looking back, he knew it was because of his past trauma of the time he’d almost died.

I thought, “What is this? Why do I feel sad? Why does my heart beat so fast?” I actually have a trauma. I almost died once.

In 2006, while TVXQ were on break from a music show recording, he’d received a drink from a “fan” in her twenties. Thinking nothing of it, he accepted the drink. Soon after consuming it, he began to vomit and was rushed to the hospital. The drink hadn’t only been orange juice; glue had been mixed in.

Because of that trauma, he had trouble navigating the tunnel. He was so paralyzed by it that he became extremely quiet, so uncharacteristic of himself that everyone asked if he was alright.

It reminded me of that trauma because of a similar atmosphere… I felt like I couldn’t breathe since I was swept up by that trauma.

In the past, Yunho thought he’d overcome the trauma. After feeling how he did in the tunnel, he realized he hadn’t. When he eventually made it through, he realized he had now made progress toward that goal, with the help of Changmin and the Super Junior members who were by his side.

I felt like I was arrogant. I thought I overcame the trauma… They helped me realize it, so I was able to overcome it earlier than I expected.

Trauma has long-lasting effects that may or may not ever be overcome. See Yunho take it step by step and make progress toward overcoming his near-death trauma here.