Love Next Door's Jung Hae In suffered from insomnia and panic disorder

Actor Jung Hae In revealed that after the huge success of the drama Something in the Rain, he experienced insomnia and panic disorder.

Jung Hae In appeared as a guest on the latest episode of tvN's Yoo Quiz on the Block Season 4, following the huge success of I, the Executioner and Love Next Door.

Jung Hae In on his role in I, the Executioner

In his previous interview with local reporters, Jung Hae talked about playing a villain for the first time in I, the Executioner: "I think this kind of role is not good for [an actor's] mental health. I don't think I should do it often. (Laughs) This is the work that took me the longest to get out of the character. I tend to separate my personal life from work, but as filming went on, Park Sun Woo kept seeping into my life. During filming, my family even told me that I seemed very unlike me... My thought process was slightly off from the normal range."

At the show, Jung Hae In said, "At first, it was a huge burden. But just feeling the pressure doesn't solve anything, right? In the end, I had to accept it and push through. We filmed for nearly six months, and since my character had narcissistic and sociopathic tendencies, I even refrained from meeting people. My parents also found this version of me very strange. But I feel like all the hard work, including discussing the role with senior actor Hwang Jung Min, paid off." 

Jung Hae In suffered from insomnia and panic disorder

Jung Hae In skyrocketed to stardom in 2018 after starring in Something in the Rain. Reflecting on that time, he said, "It was physically very difficult. I was 31 at the time, and I was lucky. But being suddenly thrust into the spotlight when I wasn't fully prepared led to an overload. I also suffered from severe insomnia and wasn't always happy. I received so much love and attention, but since I had never experienced anything like that before, I think I needed time to figure out how to become stronger." 

"When there were negative comments, I thought they were everything in the world. But I'm someone who has to stand in front of the camera and be evaluated. But there was a time when it was so terrifying and overwhelming. I even questioned my own existence, [having questions like] 'What kind of person am I?' There was a time when I didn't leave the house for a long time and lived in seclusion, and I even experienced something like panic disorder."

He added, "I was afraid of meeting people. At that time, I read all the negative comments. I thought, 'Why are they doing this to me?' Now, I know there are people who love and support me and people who hate me." "But back then, I really wanted to understand why people disliked me. Then I realized there was no specific reason. They just hate me. What can I do about that?"

The actor went on to reveal that he has had a change of mindset since then. "I think it [the problem] all started from trying to be loved by many people. After realizing that it's impossible to be loved by everyone, I decided to do my best for the people who support and love me."

Jung Hae In talks about his relationship with his manager

Jung Hae In also revealed that he gifted a foreign car to the manager who had been with him since his debut.

When Yoo Jae Suk mentioned, "I heard you gave a foreign car to your manager who has been with you since your debut," Jung Hae In responded, "We worked so hard together. He was the one who took care of my affairs." He then introduced the manager who has been with him since his debut, adding, "I gifted him a watch."

Jung Hae In continued, "My manager has a fear of [being the center of] attention." He continued, "He's been with me since my rookie days. I didn't have any money back then. I even used an overdraft account. When my manager got his paycheck, he would buy me food. We spent a few years like that."

Jung added, "When I finally started making money and saving up, he was the first person I gave a gift to, even before my parents. But when I tried to give him the gift, he adamantly refused." Yoo Jae Suk joked, "It must not have been from the store he wanted," to which Jung Hae In laughed and replied, "I'll exchange it for him."

Sources (1)(2)