SHINHWA DONGWAN Confesses that the Industry Made Him Mentally Exhausted

DONGWAN of K-pop boy group SHINHWA admitted that the entertainment industry left him mentally exhausted, which is why he relocated to the countryside.  

On June 5 episode of Channel A's television show 'Because I Like Ko Doo-shim' (literal translation), DONGWAN made a guest appearance. 

While DONGWAN and the host Ko Doo-shim sat at a restaurant in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do for a meal together, DONGWAN let out the feelings that were deep inside him. 
DONGWAN started off by telling Ko Doo-shim why he moved to Gapyeong, Gyeonggi-do―a quiet town close to Seoul that is home to some of the best weekend getaway spots―five years ago, "I know I'm not that old or anything, but the long years of working in this industry made me experience burnout. It was serious to the point that I thought about retiring. Not only did I have OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), but I also struggled to sleep every night due to insomnia."

"Some years ago, I realized that I slept well in the countryside. It was the sound of birds and smell of wet soil that help me get a good night's sleep. Because of my work though, I couldn't go too far from Seoul. So, I found a really nice bed and breakfast place to stay in Gapyeong. I started staying there whenever I could. I did that for like a year. Then, one day, I was like, 'You know what? I should just move here!' My life in Gapyeong began like that."  
The SHINHWA member then described how his life in Gapyeong changed him completely, "I used to take sleeping pills, but I don't need to take them anymore. At first, I actually found it fascinating that I was sleeping so much. I was non-stop sleeping. It was unbelievable. I even thought to myself, 'Is there something wrong with me?'" 

He continued, "I would sleep for like 10 hours straight, then fall asleep again. It was the surroundings that made me sleep well. I'm over my OCD and insomnia now.", then laughingly added, "I've been over-doing things ever since they've been gone." 

Ko Doo-shim responded with a smile, "Maybe there is some sort of superpower that comes from bonding with the nature." 

DONGWAN nodded and commented, "Yeah, I think so, too. It's my dream to marry a woman who will be happy to live with me in Gapyeong. With her, I would like to raise our children there." 
6-member group SHINHWA is one of the longest-running K-pop groups out there; the group made debut in 1998. 

(Credit= Channel A Because I Like Ko Doo-shim, 'BBACKENT - SBS OLD ENTERTAINMENT' YouTube) 

(SBS Star)