Singer Chae Ri-na reveals both parents diagnosed with dementia

Singer Chae Ri-na, 48, has revealed that both of her parents have been diagnosed with dementia.

Chae made the disclosure on Channel A's entertainment program "Star Health Ranking Number One," which aired Wednesday. Her father had already been diagnosed with the condition, and her mother received the same diagnosis a year ago.

Chae's mother, who had run a bibimbap restaurant in Jeonju, began showing signs of the illness by repeatedly purchasing groceries she had already bought, and was subsequently confirmed to have dementia through medical testing.

The behavior was also on display during the broadcast, with Chae's mother shown buying large quantities of bean sprouts and radishes — drawing a gentle rebuke from Chae. "Last summer you kept buying watermelons and even made punch out of them," Chae said.

Chae's mother's symptoms are said to have worsened after the family's pet dog died a year ago. "It was really hard after our Yeongsu left," her mother said on the program. "That memory just won't go away."

According to figures released last year by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the number of dementia patients in South Korea is projected to surpass 1 million this year — reaching about 1.01 million — up from 970,000 in 2025. As of 2023, the dementia prevalence rate among people aged 65 and older stood at 9.25 percent, meaning roughly one in 10 older adults has the condition. The prevalence of mild cognitive impairment was 28.42 percent.

As the number of dementia patients grows, a survey found that nearly half of family caregivers — 45.8 percent — report feeling burdened by the demands of care.