Singer Yoo Yeol looked healthier as he announced his return to activities after battling pulmonary fibrosis, a condition that once threatened his life.
On January 24, KBS2 aired a special episode of “Immortal Songs” (불후의 명곡) titled “Artist Yoo Yeol”. During the broadcast, Yoo Yeol opened up about what he went through during his illness.
Yoo Yeol said his weight dropped into the 40kg range while he was sick. He explained that his pulmonary fibrosis had been progressing for about nine years. Then, in May of 2023, he was hospitalized with the flu. After that, his condition became much worse.
He revealed that he spent about six months in the hospital, including time in the intensive care unit (ICU), and said he reached a point where his life was in danger.
Yoo Yeol also shared painful news from that period: he lost his mother while he was still fighting for his health. He said his wife did not tell him at first. Later, she told him because she felt it would be an even bigger shock if he found out too late. According to Yoo Yeol, his wife told him that his mother had eaten well that morning, changed into nice clothes, went to sleep, and passed away peacefully.
He said he could not visit her for several months before she died because his own condition was so serious, and he described that as especially heartbreaking.
Yoo Yeol then talked about how his recovery began. He said he received a lung transplant at the end of July. He added that his recovery was so good that even hospital staff were surprised. Yoo Yeol said he felt he experienced a miracle—something he never expected after being too weak to even get up.
He also said he received support from many people through encouragement and prayers, and he expressed deep gratitude to the lung donor and the donor’s family, saying he could not find enough words to thank them.
