Rising Star Model Disappears Just 4 Years After Debut, Only To Resurface With A Shocking Career Change

The latest episode of MBN‘s Exclusive World revealed a former model’s shocking whereabouts. Bang Eun Mi (also known as Pang Eun Mi) debuted as a fashion model in 1992 and garnered a lot of attention for her “Western” features. But just four years after her debut, Bang Eun Mi disappeared from the public eye. Why?

The former model explained it was to pursue a completely different career: A Korean traditional shaman.

One morning, I suddenly woke up and couldn’t move the left side of my face, shoulder, or arm—it was like paralysis had set in. The doctors told me it was Bell’s palsy and said it would be temporary, that treatment would help. I went to an oriental medicine clinic but saw no improvement. I also tried Western medicine, getting electrical therapy at a neurosurgery clinic, and tried all sorts of treatments, but nothing worked beyond temporary relief.

— Bang Eun Mi

Bang Eun Mi shared that she visited a shaman out of desperation, where she was told that she had a case of sinbyeong—a spiritual illness that precedes becoming a shaman. When she was told that her sinbyeong could affect her son, too, Bang Eun Mi decided to receive a shin-naerim initiation ritual for shamans.

I was told that if I don’t accept my fate as a shaman, something irreversible could happen. They said, ‘If you have children, even your child could suffer something terrible.’ So I thought, ‘I have to go through the ritual in order to protect my baby boy.’

— Bang Eun Mi

Bang Eun Mi’s son was only one year old when she received the shin-naerim. After the initiation ritual, she had to be separated from him for three years to become an actual shaman. While it was the “most painful years” of her life, it allowed Bang Eun Mi to eventually build up her business with two decades of experience in providing spiritual services. She now takes not only Korean but also international clients, giving consultations in English, too.