'Injection Auntie' reveals incurable illness, schedules surgery after 7 years

A woman known as "Injection Auntie," who was found to have performed unlicensed medical procedures on celebrities including broadcaster Park Na-rae, has revealed she is suffering from an incurable illness.

The woman, identified only as A, posted on her social media Thursday that she rarely leaves home except for hospital visits and has scheduled a long-delayed surgery.

"Back in 2019, the pain was so severe that even injections and narcotic painkillers had no effect, so I chose surgery," she wrote. "Now, seven years later, I have to go under the knife again. They say it's an incurable disease."

She also spoke about her emotional state. "I used to have a mental strength that nothing could break, but this time I was hurt by people I trusted, to the point where I wanted to give up on life. I've come to realize that the scariest thing in the world isn't an incurable disease — it's the people you trusted," she said.

A came to public attention after being caught performing unlicensed medical procedures on celebrities in December last year. Comedian Park Na-rae, SHINee member Key and broadcaster Ipjjalbeun Haetnim were among her clients, and all three suspended their public activities at the time.

SHINee's Key was the first to resume official activities, returning to the stage roughly six months later with solo concerts at KSPO Dome in Seoul Olympic Park from May 29 to 31, followed by performances at Belluna Dome in Saitama, Japan, on June 5 and 7. As part of SHINee, he released the group's sixth mini album "Atmos" on June 1 and appeared on SBS' "Inkigayo" on June 14.

Last month, Ipjjalbeun Haetnim was reported to have taken over and begun operating a dog cafe in Paju, Gyeonggi Province.

Park Na-rae has largely stayed out of the public eye. Her only notable appearance was a cameo on the Disney+ variety show "Unmyeongjeonjaeng 49," a reality competition program, in February.

If you're thinking about self-harm or suicide, contact the Ministry of Health and Welfare's helpline 1393, available 24/7. Please request a translator for English-language services.