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| Music video director Kwon Soon-wook, left, and his sister BoA, right / Korea Times file |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Music video director Kwon Soon-wook, better known as the brother of K-pop soloist BoA for their family ties, made a shocking disclosure about his health: he is battling terminal cancer.
Kwon shared on his Instagram that he was recently diagnosed with stage four peritoneal cancer. He underwent surgery in December as he was suffering from peritonitis. However, the stent inside his body perforated his intestine.
"Doctors said I have about two to three months to live. I can't believe this happened to me. I feel like it's a dream, but every morning I wake up to this harsh reality," he said.
Kwon revealed that he had lost so much weight, because he was unable to eat due to an intestinal obstruction, that he now weighs only 36 kilograms. "The loss of bodily functions is discouraging, but I'm trying not to lose hope until the last moment," he said.
The 40-year-old director also encouraged his followers to go to the hospital for medical checkups if they feel anything might be wrong with their health.
"I felt perfectly fine just a few months ago. I realize that cancer spreads really fast in young adults," he said. "I hope everyone takes good care of their health so that they don't have to experience this kind of pain."
BoA left a supportive comment, saying, "I love you, brother. We will get through this together. I'm definitely going to cook ramen for you, and we have to eat it together. You're the strongest and coolest person I know. Thanks for holding on tight."
Fans sent well wishes to Kwon, many of whom said they will pray for him. "Your health is the priority. I hope you find the strength to get through it because miracles do happen," one commented.
According to data from National Cancer Center, peritoneal cancer is a relatively rare cancer, accounting for less than 0.2 percent of all cancers. Peritoneal cancer is hard to find early because people usually have no symptoms until the cancer has become very large or has already spread to other organs.
In general, the survival rate of peritoneal cancer for stage 1 and 2 is between 70 and 90 percent, while that of stage 3 and 4 is between 15 and 45 percent.
Since making his debut with Poppin Hyun Joon's "Lion's Roar" in 2005, Kwon has directed more than 500 music videos, including BoA's "Only One," Girls' Day's "Twinkle Twinkle," MAMAMOO's "Piano Man" and Red Velvet's "Be Natural."
