Dancer and actor Cha Hyun-seung, 34, who was part of Netflix's popular dating show "Single's Inferno," shared uplifting news: his doctors have declared him cancer-free after months of treatment for leukemia.
On Dec. 22, Cha uploaded a YouTube video documenting a hospital visit to hear his bone marrow test results. “It’s 6:50, and I’m here to get the results,” he said, admitting he was nervous. “I came alone so my parents wouldn’t worry if it wasn’t good news.”
In the exam room, the medical team told him he’d gotten a clean bill of health, prompting a visible sigh of relief. “Hearing it directly feels incredible,” he said. Doctors scheduled a follow-up in three months and reminded him to steer clear of alcohol and cigarettes.
Cha also posted a heartfelt message on social media, reflecting on a fight that once felt endless. From his first symptoms to the moment before the verdict, he wrote, fear never left his mind as he braced for worst-case scenarios. “I knew I couldn’t completely stop the downward pull, but I tried to slow it. If my spirit broke, I felt like it would only speed up,” he shared.
He recalled a turning point in the hospital: while resting without chills or pain, a nurse took his temperature and rushed in fever meds when it read close to 40°C. “That’s when I realized pain isn’t only bad―it can be part of what keeps you alive,” he wrote. “I started to smile, and little by little, the fear and the hardship eased.”
Cha began treatment in May and said getting the all-clear at year’s end felt like a Christmas gift. He vowed to take better care of himself and offered encouragement to others still in treatment: “I believe you will recover. Please don’t let go of laughter and hope.”
Cha first broke out as the “Shoulder Oppa” who danced alongside SUNMI on her hit “24 Hours.” In September, he revealed his leukemia diagnosis on YouTube and documented his chemotherapy journey. Last year, he expanded into acting with projects including the drama “Share House.”
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)