Lee Seung Gi Opens Up About His Mental Health Struggles & The Difficulty Of Therapy

On a recent episode of SBS‘s Master in the House, Lee Seung Gi opened up about his struggles with mental health, including his difficulties with receiving psychiatric therapy.

Reportedly one of this year’s top five highest-paid actors in South Korea, Lee Seung Gi is a star you’ve likely seen in at least one K-Drama before. From SBS’s Vagabond and My Girlfriend is a Gumiho to his most recent role in tvN‘s Mouse, Lee has appeared in numerous top shows and holds a multitude of acting awards. On top of that, he also has an extensive Korean and Japanese discography as a singer.  However, sometimes fame comes at a price.

Talking to psychiatrist Dr. Oh Eun Young on Master in the House, Lee Seung Gi bravely confessed that he previously underwent psychotherapy. It all took place before his mandatory military service, which began in February 2016.

Can I be honest with you? I’ve actually received psychotherapy once.

­— Lee Seung Gi

Lee Seung Gi explained that back then, both his mind and his body “were not well.” Like many would, he visited multiple different doctors and took many different medical tests in order to find out what was causing his illness. However, Lee says, “they couldn’t see anything wrong” despite the pain he was feeling.

It was weird as I definitely felt pain in my heart and body.

— Lee Seung Gi

Eventually, Lee Seung Gi’s loved ones suggested to him that he may be suffering from panic disorder. They recommended that he see a psychiatrist, but naturally, the thought was daunting. “It wasn’t so easy to do that,” Lee admitted, adding, “I didn’t have the nerve to go there” because of the fear of judgment.

I felt like it wasn’t a normal place to go, and I was also scared that there would be people watching and judging me for it. It was hard even to get myself to the door.

— Lee Seung Gi

Thankfully, Lee was eventually able to brave the stigma that plagues those with mental health difficulties and finally visit a psychiatry clinic. Unfortunately, his struggles didn’t stop there; he also had difficulty opening up honestly to his psychotherapist.

I still couldn’t let everything out to the psychiatrist. I think I instinctively wanted to keep myself guarded. I was like, ‘Okay, I’m going to tell them this, but not that and that.’

— Lee Seung Gi

While it’s heartbreaking to know that Lee Seung Gi went through such a rough patch and had trouble getting help, the psychiatrist on Master in the House had some good advice for him. Affirming that it’s definitely not easy to completely open up to someone, Dr. Oh Eun Young went on to say that it’s still a good idea to push through and make that appointment. “There might be an answer to the issue,” she explained, “but even if there’s not, it’s good to even just talk about it.”