Health · Mental Health · 1 hr ago
Lee Hye Jung describes depression and hardship during her basketball career
Korean model Lee Hye Jung says her basketball career was marked by severe hardship.
She recalled that an ankle injury kept her from playing for six months, and hyperthyroidism later stopped her from training.
Despite those health problems, she joined a professional team while physically and mentally exhausted.
Lee said she felt unable to quit because she supported her family, and described being kept awake, assigned laundry and subjected to strict discipline by senior players.
Her depression became so severe that she thought about jumping from a window, and she ran away from the team twice before leaving basketball.
She later switched to modeling and married actor Lee Hee Joon in 2016; she has previously said he supported her through a period of depression before their wedding.
Lee Hye Jung said injuries, hyperthyroidism and depression made her basketball career difficult.
She said she felt unable to quit because she was the head of her household and had family responsibilities.
Lee described strict treatment by senior players and said she ran away from her team twice.
She later left basketball and became a model.
A video about her experiences was posted on her YouTube channel on November 4.
- Who
- Lee Hye Jung, a former professional basketball player who became a model.
- What
- She described the injuries, illness, depression and hardship she experienced during her basketball career.
- When
- She discussed it in a video posted on November 4; the year is not stated for the video.
- Where
- On her YouTube channel. The sources do not state where the discussion was filmed.
- Why
- She said injuries and hyperthyroidism disrupted her training, while family responsibilities and difficulties with teammates added to the hardship.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Lee said she injured her ankle and had to rest for six months, then developed hyperthyroidism and could not train.
Lee said she joined a team while physically and mentally exhausted and faced strict discipline from senior players.
Lee said she ran away to Gangwon Province and, a little more than a month later, to Busan.
A video about Lee’s experiences was posted on her YouTube channel.
Lee married actor Lee Hee Joon after leaving basketball and moving into modeling.
- Name
- Lee Hye Jung
- Ankle injury
- Six months of rest
- Illness
- Hyperthyroidism
- First escape
- Gangwon Province
- Second escape
- Busan, a little more than a month later
- Marriage
- Lee married actor Lee Hee Joon in 2016
What people are saying
The depression was so severe, I felt like jumping out of it.
I was the head of the household, so I felt I couldn’t quit.
The older players kept me awake, made me do laundry, and enforced strict discipline.
I thought, ‘I can’t keep living like this,’ so for the first time, I ran away from the team.