Heo Gayoon opens up on life after 4Minute, reveals struggles with bulimia and social phobia before leaving Korea.
The former 4Minute member spilled the details during a recent chat on Kwon Sohyun’s YouTube channel. She’s been living in Bali and says she finally found a “type of comfort and freedom” she never had before.
Heo Gayoon didn’t hold back about her mental health battles. She confirmed she suffered bulimia and social phobia before moving away. Her thyroid was also seriously affected, baffling doctors with how bad her condition was due to stress.
Her older brother’s death in 2020 marked a major turning point. She admitted it changed her emotionally and pushed her toward the life shift.
Heo Gayoon also talked about her future plans, saying she doesn’t want to settle in Bali permanently, but wants to live by the ocean somewhere while still keeping close ties to Korea and her family.
Heo Gayoon
“I felt a type of comfort and freedom I’ve never felt before. I’d been working hard for my dreams since I was young, and I never let myself go to feel that type of freedom. I felt that for the first time in Bali.”
Heo Gayoon
“I don’t want to settle in Bali, but I want to live anywhere with an ocean. I have to come to Korea, too. My parents are the most important thing on my mind. I’m unsure how many years it will take, but I plan to visit other islands like Indonesia.”
Heo Gayoon
“I no longer have the obsession with dieting like I used to, so my body and mind are healthier. I feel comfortable meeting anyone.
I used to be unable to sleep and developed bulimia, and my body was so messed up, and my thyroid was low. Even the doctor was amazed. My thyroid levels improved so drastically that they stated that stress must be the reason.”
Heo Gayoon
“I’m usually someone with a constant emotional state. Even when I want to cry, I hold it in. I think I’ve gotten so used to holding it in that I can’t burst into tears or laugh hysterically.
But I cried without worrying about what others thought of me after my brother passed. If what happened to my brother hadn’t happened, I wonder if I could have gone to Bali alone or thought about wanting to live. If this incident hadn’t happened, I don’t think it would have been easy to change.”
Life in Bali has given her new freedom, but Heo Gayoon makes it clear she’s still tied to her roots in Korea.
Watch the full interview on Kwon Sohyun’s YouTube channel for more.
