Hong Seok-cheon "After Coming Out, I Considered Extreme Choices... What Stopped Me Was My Ex's Insults"

Broadcaster Hong Seok-cheon revealed a story about a past lover who prevented him from making an extreme choice on the April 4th episode of MBN variety show Sokpuli Show Dongchimi (Dongchimi). Photo by MBN, screen capture from Sokpuli Show Dongchimi (Dongchimi).

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Seul-gi] Broadcaster Hong Seok-cheon revealed an anecdote about a past lover who prevented him from making an extreme choice.

On the 4th, Hong Seok-cheon recalled on the MBN variety show 'Sokpuri Show Dongchimi' (Dongchimi), "After I came out as (a homosexual), I lost everything. Even my family could not understand me. At that time, I didn't even want to hear comforting words like 'Are you having a hard time?'"

Hong Seok-cheon said, "Since I am an icon of positivity, I believed I could overcome it myself and endured for several years, but eventually, I couldn't bear it and went to Mapo Bridge at dawn."

He added, "Before leaving this world, I wanted to talk to someone. I couldn't call my family in that situation, so I called someone I used to love who knew a lot about me."

Hong Seok-cheon said, "Even at that moment, I thought, 'If they don't answer before the phone rings 10 times, I will just leave.' But that person answered on the third ring," and continued, "Since I wasn't someone who would call at that time, they seemed surprised. Then they suddenly asked, 'Are you at the Han River now?' and started cursing harshly."

He went on, "I laughed at how that person guessed my situation perfectly. I came to my senses and said, 'I'll go home,'" and added, "On the way home, I urgently needed to use the restroom, so I found a cafe that opened early and ran to the restroom. Without realizing it, I thought, 'Phew, I feel like I can live.'"

Finally, he said, "Since then, when someone tells me they want to die, I respond harshly. I say things like, 'If you're going to die, at least sign up for organ donation before you go.' After that, they often respond with, 'Thank you. Because of you, I survived.'"

※ If you have difficult feelings such as depression or know family or acquaintances going through such hardships, you can receive 24-hour professional counseling at suicide prevention hotline ☎1393, mental health counseling ☎1577-0199, Hope Call ☎129, Lifeline ☎1588-9191, and Youth Hotline ☎1388.