Super Junior's Leeteuk has been known for his cheery and bright personality. Yet during a recent event, he shocked a lot of fans when he admitted to having battled depression even before his father and grandparents' tragic deaths in January 2014.
On Thursday, Nov. 24, the leader of Super Junior attended an event called "There's No Hope Without Despair" wherein he talked about his struggles in the past years. According to AllKpop, Leeteuk recalled that difficult time when he was still enlisted in the military, saying: "I was struggling with depression, and I heard the news of the family death news; it was a very difficult period."
It can be recalled that Leeteuk's father committed suicide by hanging after killing his own parents (Leeteuk's grandparents) in January 2014. The idol's father also left a suicide note, part of which Leeteuk revealed as saying: "Do you think you succeeded alone?" The statement thus hinted that Leeteuk's father might have harbored resentment towards the singer-songwriter.
The 33-year-old idol surprised the audience further by sharing the story of how his father had left a huge debt that he has been paying off until now. With the debt amounting to around 5 billion KRW or $4.25 million USD, Leeteuk had to sell his car and work much harder to pay it off. He recounted that he had to sleep for only four hours in three days to accommodate all his work commitments.
While the financial burden may seem too much for him to bear, the singer maintained that he does not resent his father because of it. He said he is still paying the debt and that he intends to do what is ethically right.
His sad story could be the reason why Leeteuk's presence has been constant in the Korean entertainment world. He has appeared in different variety series and awards shows. Just recently, the idol has been confirmed to be one of the emcees for the 2016 Super Seoul Dream Concert. He will co-host the event with actress Jin Se Yeon and a fellow idol, SEVENTEEN's Mingyu.
As per Soompi, the upcoming concert will be held at the Gocheok Sky Dome this Sunday, Nov. 27. Fans will witness performances from a total of 22 artists including SHINee, F.T. Island, SEVENTEEN, TWICE, GFRIEND, VIXX, AOA, and more.
