'6 Million Won Daily Hospital Fee'... The Story of a YouTuber Who Became Fully Paralyzed in Just 1 Second Overseas and Returned Safely

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Police Agency Host... Experience Contest 'Grand Prize'
440,000 Video Views, 10 Million Shorts Views Recorded

A video by a Korean YouTuber who became paralyzed from head to toe due to a swimming pool accident during a trip to Saipan has become a hot topic after winning the grand prize at the "4th Overseas Incident and Accident Experience Contest" jointly hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Police Agency.

YouTuber 'KkamangKongsak' uploaded a video titled "KkamangKongsak Paralyzed from Head to Toe in Just 1 Second" on April 28. The video recorded 440,000 views within three days of upload, and the shorts video reached 10 million views.

YouTuber 'Kkamang Kongsak' in transit, accompanied by hospital staff.
[Photo by YouTuber 'Kkamang Kongsak' video capture]

The YouTuber was enjoying a vacation at a swimming pool in a lodging facility in Saipan when he slipped and fractured his cervical vertebra, resulting in nerve damage and paralysis of his entire body.

At that time, it was difficult to find a neurosurgeon locally in Saipan, and the hospital lacked magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment, making an accurate diagnosis impossible. The daily hospitalization fee was as high as 6 million KRW. His family hurriedly traveled from Korea to Saipan the next day after hearing the news.

YouTuber 'Kkamang Kongsak' being transported to a hospital in Guam by a light aircraft.
[Photo by YouTuber 'Kkamang Kongsak' video capture]

The YouTuber had to return to Korea immediately for treatment. He was hospitalized for a week at a hospital in Saipan before being transferred to Guam by a light aircraft. Then, he returned to Korea using a Korean Air flight equipped with stretcher (bed seat) support. At that time, he received assistance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Guam office, the Juhagatnya branch office, and the Saipan consular cooperation office.

The YouTuber recorded the process of returning to Korea on video and shared precautions to take in case of an accident overseas. Patients and guardians must carry passports, and if the patient is unconscious, the guardian must complete the paperwork on their behalf. Taking photos and videos of documents received from the hospital and the scene helps in handling the accident. Checking insurance certificates is also essential. Additionally, contacting the consulate in case of an accident can provide emergency assistance.

The YouTuber is currently undergoing rehabilitation treatment in Korea and uploading videos of his process of returning to daily life on YouTube.

The video, which the YouTuber personally filmed and edited based on his experience, won the grand prize at the "4th Overseas Incident and Accident Experience Contest" jointly hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Police Agency this month. A total of 126 entries were submitted to the contest, and 13 were selected as winners.