"Agoraphobia and Depression Came" Eum Moon-seok Confesses Past Financial Hardship

Actor Eum Moon-seok. Photo by SBS from the broadcast screen of 'My Ugly Duckling'.

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Actor Eum Moonseok revealed that he suffered from social anxiety and depression due to financial difficulties.

On the 19th, SBS's 'My Ugly Duckling' aired, featuring the daily life of Eum Moonseok, who joined as a new 'My Ugly Duckling' member.

That day, Eum Moonseok talked about his struggling days while having a meal with Hwang Chiyeul.

Eum Moonseok said, "I used to live with seven older brothers. It was a time when I really had no money, so since I brought a lot of kimchi from my countryside home, I ate all kinds of dishes related to kimchi. But there was one downside. Eating kimchi for all three meals meant I couldn't get balanced nutrition. My tongue cracked, my eyes twitched, my ears felt torn, and I developed sores around my mouth."

Hwang Chiyeul recalled, "I didn't mind being hungry or struggling. I was even fine sleeping on the streets because I had a dream. But at thirty, I couldn't see any hope. That's when I hit rock bottom."

Eum Moonseok also shared, "Since my singing career wasn't going well, I couldn't meet people. The financial hardship was severe, so I developed social anxiety, and even though I shared the rent with the brothers I lived with, the rent was still overdue."

He continued, "Depression overwhelmed me, and I was very scared. There was a transitional period and a slump. I thought something serious might happen, so I started opening up from then on. I told acquaintances, 'I have no money. Please buy me a meal.' Meeting people like that actually made me feel better."

He also expressed his apologies to his parents. Eum Moonseok said, "When my story came up during holidays, my parents avoided the topic. I wondered if I should at least earn money through part-time jobs. I thought, 'Am I being too selfish?' I should consider my parents too, but I worried if I was being too stubborn about my own life. These days, I feel very good about it. My choices were not wrong, and I will slowly make up for what I couldn't do for my parents and family."