Beloved Actress Confesses She Considered Assisted Dying With Husband

A beloved actress’s heartfelt confession about considering assisted dying has sparked heated debates.

Actress Lee Bo Young talked about this controversial topic during her July 31 appearance on MBC FM4U‘s Today’s Morning with Yoon Sang. Lee appeared on the show with co-star Lee Min Ki to promote their new drama Mary Kills People.

While talking about the K-Drama, Lee mentioned that it was probably the first Korean drama to address the tricky subject of assisted dying, alternatively called assisted suicide. The term refers to the practice of providing a person with the means to end their life, typically by a medical professional, at their request. The practice is controversial, but also legal in many countries and is usually accessed by adult individuals with terminal illnesses or incurable conditions.

Lee Bo Young revealed that just before receiving the script for this K-Drama, she and her husband, actor Ji Sung, came across an elderly couple’s story who had chosen to end their lives together through assisted dying. The story deeply resonated with both of them, leading them to consider the option for themselves.

I received the script in July of last year. At that time, I saw an article about an elderly couple overseas who chose assisted dying together, and my husband and I talked about it for a long time. I thought, ‘It’s not that bad.’ We felt that we could make this choice when we grow old, so that we don’t become a burden to our children.

— Lee Bo Young

Lee shared that she felt being able to make such a choice when you are still in your sound mind was not a bad thing. However, the actress also made it clear that her intention is not to claim what is right or wrong, but just to inspire dialogue. That was also the reason why she chose to go with the script of this K-Drama.

Mary Kills People is an intriguing K-Drama that deals with the heavy topic of euthanasia and assisted dying. These practices are still illegal in South Korea but are topics of regular public debates. It will follow the story of Dr. Woo So Jeong (played by Lee Bo Young), who helps terminally ill patients with euthanasia, despite it being illegal. Choi Hyeon Woo (played by Lee Min Ki) is a detective with a terminal illness who is on a mission to track down this doctor.

The show is scheduled to premiere on August 1, KST, on MBC.