His Son Also Takes Psychiatric Medication... Quit Basketball
"Dad Is Now a Fallen Hero"
Hyun Joo-yeop, a former basketball player turned broadcaster, revealed that he went through a difficult period following allegations of negligence at work and abuse of power.
On January 14, during season 3 of TV Chosun's "Dad and I," Hyun said, "If it had been something I went through alone, it would have been okay, but it was really hard because my family had to suffer along with me."
He continued, "At my peak, I weighed about 137 kilograms, but after the incident, I lost my appetite. I lost 15 kilograms in just one month at first. Now, I've lost a total of about 40 kilograms."
He added, "If I don't take medication, I have trouble sleeping. I have some anxiety symptoms. In the morning, I take about six pills to stay awake, and in the evening, I take about 14 to 15 pills. If I don't take the medication, I stay up all night and can't sleep at all," explaining, "I've been taking this medication for about a year and a half."
He also explained that the entire family is currently taking psychiatric medication. He said, "My eldest son Junhee spent the most time in the psychiatric hospital and had the hardest time. Since then, he barely speaks. He's closed himself off so much that it's difficult to even start a conversation with him."
After the allegations surfaced, Junhee suffered severe psychological distress, quit basketball, and took a leave of absence during his first year of high school. Junhee reportedly suffered from insomnia, shortness of breath, and nightmares, and was hospitalized in a psychiatric facility four times. Junhee said, "In the past, my dad was my dream and the coolest person. Now, he's a fallen hero."
In March 2024, Hyun Joo-yeop was embroiled in allegations of negligence at work and abuse of power during his tenure as basketball coach at Whimoon High School. As a result, Junhee took a leave of absence from school in October last year, during his first year of high school, and has since stopped playing basketball.
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