Jung Il-woo’s Survival Story: Accident, Aneurysm, and Awakening

Jung Il-woo survived a career-threatening car accident and hid injuries to film his debut sitcom Unstoppable High Kick.
The actor overcame a cerebral aneurysm diagnosis at 27 through spiritual healing on Spain's Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.
Despite health exemptions, he completed military service and continues acting in both Korean and Chinese dramas.

For over two decades, Jung Il-woo has charmed audiences with his versatile acting in hits like Moon Embracing the Sun and Cinderella with Four Knights, but few knew the harrowing battles he fought off-screen. The actor recently bared his soul in a raw, emotional revelation, detailing a near-fatal car accident that shattered his body, a devastating brain aneurysm that shook his spirit, and the transformative pilgrimage that ultimately saved him.

Behind his effortless charisma lies a story of extraordinary resilience. From hiding severe injuries to film his debut sitcom, to weeping uncontrollably during a life-changing spiritual journey in Spain, Jung's path has been anything but ordinary. His candid confessions expose the brutal realities of celebrity, the fragility of life, and the profound peace he found only after facing death itself.

A Grueling Debut and a Life-Altering Accident

Jung Il-woo recently opened up about the extreme physical and mental toll of his early career. On Problem Child in the Rooftop Room 2 KBS2TV, he reflected,

"Next year will be my 20th debut anniversary. The audition for 'Unstoppable High Kick' was a 400-to-1 competition. They said they chose me because I had a pretty smile."

However, his bright debut was overshadowed by exhaustion. He remembered:

"The schedule was so repetitive that I only got 15 to 20 minutes of sleep on average. I even fell asleep in the shower."

The real turning point came just before filming began.

"I was in a car accident right before filming, which ruined my body. I was hospitalized for four and a half months, and when I was discharged, I weighed only 52kg at 180cm tall," he revealed.

The accident left him with a fractured pelvis and a metal implant.

"I was in trouble for not being able to kick, but since I had already passed the audition, I had no choice but to hide the accident."

A Cerebral Aneurysm and the Search for Meaning

Years later, at 27, Jung faced another life-threatening crisis: a cerebral aneurysm diagnosis. The news left him shattered.

"I felt like I was carrying a time bomb in my head. Everything went black. I didn't know how to live, so I locked myself in my room for a month," he confessed.

Amid this despair, he found solace in an unexpected journey: the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain. The pilgrimage became a transformative experience. He now plans to walk it again with his retiring mother.

"I prepared for six months and headed to Santiago. Every moment I walked along that path, I felt alive. I once walked 49 kilometers in one day. I went alone for the first time when I was going through the most difficult time. And I wanted to share that happiness with my friends, so I went twice more."

One of his most poignant memories was breaking down during Mass at the Cathedral of Santiago.

"I suddenly burst into tears. I wept bitterly. I don't know why. But after I cried, my mind was cleared. That moment is still vivid. It felt like all the emotions that had been building up exploded," he shared.

Despite his health struggles, Jung chose to enlist in the military in December 2016, even though his condition could have exempted him. He was discharged in November 2018 and has since embraced a healthier lifestyle, citing Kim Jong-kook and Cha Seung-won as fitness inspirations.

Looking back, Jung’s journey is one of survival and spiritual awakening. "Santiago was the happiest time of my life. I went there to empty myself, but instead, I was filled with so much." His story reminds us that even in the darkest moments, there’s always a path forward—sometimes, quite literally, one step at a time.

While Korean fans know him best for these iconic roles, international viewers have also embraced his upcoming work in Chinese dramas like A Beautiful Woman (女人花似梦), where he played Kim Moon-ho, and The Girls' Lies (恋人的谎言) as Lantian.

Source: KBS, Chosun