AKMU’s Lee Soo-hyun Reveals Struggles: How She Overcame a 2-Year Hikkikomori Phase

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[JoyNews24 reporter Lee Ji-young] AKMU’s Lee Suhyun opened up about a difficult period in her life.

AKMU appeared on tvN’s You Quiz on the Block, which aired on the 1st.

On the show, host Yoo Jae-suk recalled that when he last saw them five years earlier, Lee had been in a slump. Lee said the slump that began then eventually widened into a deeper crisis about life itself.

Lee said the downturn started when her brother enlisted in the military and his absence left a huge void. She thought she could handle everything on her own, but when she couldn’t, she wounded herself emotionally. She added that she had expected his return to fix things — but it didn’t.

She said that after he was discharged, her brother focused on moving forward and his artistic voice became very strong. Collaborating stopped feeling enjoyable. “I told him, ‘I’ll give up AKMU,’” she recalled. After that, she lived like a hikikomori for about two years — staying shut in her room, cutting herself off from others, and feeling she had no future. She said she had effectively given up on her future, a revelation that shocked viewers.

Lee said she had been so lethargic she didn’t recognize how serious it had become until her brother warned her, “Saying you’re fine is the most dangerous thing.” He suggested very small steps, and she realized that if she wanted to get back to the way she used to live, she needed to listen to him.