'1 drink became more': Singer Kim Se-jeong reflects on alcohol habit

Singer and actress Kim Se-jeong / Captured from YouTube

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Singer and actress Kim Se-jeong revealed that she used to relieve stress by drinking alcohol every day.

Kim appeared on the Monday episode of the SBS variety show “But Seriously” alongside fellow members of I.O.I, who reunited as a full group for the first time in 10 years since their debut.

When host Lee Soo-ji commented that the members must have drunk together now that they are adults, Kim replied, “I really love alcohol.” Asked about her drinking capacity, she explained, “I’m not the type to binge drink, but at the end of the day, having a drink makes me feel like I worked hard today.”

When Lee asked if she drinks every day, Kim said, “I usually drink about two cans of beer. Then alcohol starts calling for more alcohol. I’ll think, ‘Maybe I should try a little whiskey too,’ and before I know it, I’m pouring more.”

Kim added, “My sense of reward was huge. After practice, no matter how tired I was, I would always have a drink before bed. Lately I’ve been practicing every day, and because I was drinking daily, my brain just stopped working. I realized this really wasn’t good. For the sake of my training, I decided I needed to quit drinking. I’m currently trying to stop.”

Alcohol is commonly associated with liver damage, but the brain is actually one of the first organs affected. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol interferes with communication between brain cells, impairing judgment, memory, concentration and motor control.

Repeated drinking can also worsen sleep quality. Although alcohol may make people fall asleep faster, it reduces deep sleep, leading to greater fatigue and poorer concentration the next day.

Some studies suggest long-term heavy drinking may even physically alter brain structure. Research using data from the UK Biobank found that people who drank daily or several times a week could experience faster brain aging.

People whose faces flush easily after drinking should be especially cautious. Many East Asians carry an ALDH2 gene variant, which slows the breakdown of acetaldehyde — a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism. The NIAAA warns that people with facial flushing reactions may face a higher risk of cancers such as esophageal cancer. In other words, facial redness can signal that the body is struggling to process alcohol properly.

Kim’s confession that “alcohol leads to more alcohol” can be a warning sign. What starts as one or two beers can escalate into additional drinking. Experts describe this as “reward drinking” — using alcohol to relieve stress — which can increase the risk of alcohol use disorder over time.

The belief that “a little every day is harmless” is also increasingly being challenged. Recent studies suggest that even small amounts of alcohol, when consumed regularly, may accumulate health risks over time. Daily drinking habits can also make it harder to sleep without alcohol or increase reliance on drinking during stressful situations.

Treatment for alcohol use disorder varies depending on severity. Hospitals and addiction clinics may offer counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy and medication-assisted treatment. Severe withdrawal symptoms may require hospitalization.

For people trying to cut back on drinking on their own, experts recommend you avoid stocking alcohol at home, replace drinking with alternative routines such as exercise, walking, or showering, keep a drinking diary, reduce drinking alone, and set two or three alcohol-free days each week

This article from Kormedi.com, Korea’s top health care and medical portal, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.