Actor Kim Ji-ho reveals ADHD diagnosis and reflects on career breaks

Actor Kim Ji-ho speaks during Baik Ji-yeon's YouTube show / Captured from Baik Ji-yeon's YouTube channel

Veteran actor Kim Ji-ho has opened up about her struggles with ADHD, menopause and career breaks in a deeply personal interview, offering a rare glimpse into the emotional challenges behind her long-standing career.

In an interview released Monday on the YouTube channel Baik Ji-yeon Now, hosted by veteran broadcaster Baik Ji-yeon, the 50-year-old actress candidly discussed her personal journey.

“I actually asked to come on the show. I’ve known Baik Ji-yeon for over 20 years — since before I got married," she said at the beginning of the conversation.

Kim spoke openly about the physical and emotional changes brought on by menopause. “About five or six years ago, I heard that yoga could help with menopause, so I started at 43 — and I’m so glad I did,” she said.

“I had never felt lethargic, depressed or lonely before, but suddenly, I understood those feelings. My self-esteem dropped. I could barely bring myself to get out of bed, let alone go to yoga. I realized just how powerful hormones can be.”

She also described her physical symptoms. “It felt like I had a heater strapped to my back. My friends would say their faces would suddenly break into a sweat, and their joints ached more than usual.”

In a particularly emotional moment, Kim revealed for the first time that she has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). She said she struggles with focusing on one task for an extended period. “I’d often get up, run around, come back, then lie on a mat and stare at the sky,” she said.

She went on to address why she seemed to vanish from television despite receiving offers. “Projects kept coming in, but I ran away from them,” she said. “Even after marriage and giving birth, I was offered roles, but I thought, ‘What if I can’t pull it off again?’ I tried returning to dramas a few times but ended up feeling disappointed in myself.”

“I didn’t have the perseverance to see things through. All I could think about was finishing quickly and escaping back home,” she continued. “Looking back, I regret it. If it were me now, I wouldn’t run away. I finally have the courage I didn’t have back then.”

Despite her renewed mindset, Kim acknowledged that work is harder to come by these days. “Roles just don’t come in anymore,” she said with a wry smile. “The industry has changed, and there are so many women my age doing amazing work.”

Kim Ji-ho debuted in 1991 and rose to fame through dramas and films throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. She married fellow actor Kim Ho-jin in 2001. The couple has one daughter.

This article is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.