Beloved Former Idol Talks About The Impact Of Her Brother’s Sudden Death, Dealing With an Eating Disorder And More

Former 4Minute member Heo Ga Yoon recalled her older brother who suddenly passed away.

On the most recent broadcast of the tvN variety show You Quiz on the Block (hereafter “You Quiz”), Heo Ga Yoon appeared as a guest.

After 4Minute disbanded, Heo Ga Yoon has been living in Bali for three years. About suddenly moving to Bali, she said, “A lot of people misunderstand. They think I saved up a lot of money or that my family is wealthy,” adding, “That’s not true at all. In fact, I don’t even spend 10,000 won a day. If you eat in tourist areas, it’s expensive, but if you go to local restaurants, even if it’s pricey, it’s about 2,000–3,000 won per meal. I spent more money when I was living in Korea.”

She went to Bali after going through difficult times at the age of 31, including binge eating disorder and the death of her older brother. She recalled, “My parents called and told me my brother suddenly passed away. One day, he suddenly collapsed. They discovered he had a heart problem and decided on surgery, and I got the call three days before it was scheduled.” She continued, “He passed away at 33. He was much younger than I am now. It hadn’t even been a month since he became independent, so I was even more shocked because I never imagined it.”

She added, “After school, I would go straight to the practice room and stay until evening, so I barely had any time alone with my brother. Ironically, I had more time with him when my career wasn’t going well. Because the timing turned out like that, I regret it even more. Before, I hated when people asked, ‘What have you been up to lately?’ but now I hate and struggle with the question, ‘What about your siblings?’ I wasn’t born an only child, but now I am, so I suddenly feel the loneliness I didn’t feel when I was young. I realize that I’ve become alone.”

She tearfully said, “After the funeral rites, he was wrapped up tightly, and I felt so suffocated. It was already hard to accept that he was lying there like that, but his face color was different from the people standing in front of me, so it suddenly became real. That was the first time I accepted that he wasn’t alive anymore. I realized my brother had really become like that. I can’t forget that image.”

She continued, “My parents also struggled. They would say, ‘If it weren’t for you, we would have wanted to follow him,’ and at some point, that became a wound to me. Even when they say that now, I try to respond positively, telling them, ‘The three of us have to live happily so that my brother can also be at peace.’”

Source: (A)