Singer Jang Jae-in reveals hemiplegia diagnosis at 22: 'The mental pain was the real problem'

Singer Jang Jae-in has opened up about being diagnosed with hemiplegia in the past and the difficult time that followed.

A video titled "I went to Seongsu and had my fashion rated" was posted Friday on the YouTube channel "Singer-Songwriter Jaein."

In the video, Jang recalled how grueling the schedule had been at the time. "When I was 22, I was incredibly busy — I had so much work, sleeping only two hours a day and running five or six events," Jang said.

Jang said the relentless schedule and stress had taken a serious physical toll. "Because of the nonstop schedule and all the stress, I was diagnosed with hemiplegia and dystonia. Playing the guitar became difficult," Jang said. "I always put a lot of force into my left side when I played, so the paralysis came to the left. I became afraid to play guitar." Jang added that the thought of "Why am I the only one suffering like this?" had driven her to a dark place.

Jang also admitted to feeling resentment toward other musicians. "When I saw people playing guitar, I hated them," Jang said. "I couldn't play and I was struggling, so I kept thinking, why are they so good? I think that's the frightening thing about a victim mentality."

Over time, a shift in perspective helped turn things around. "I started thinking, 'I was just born this way' and 'This is my starting point,'" Jang said. "Once I accepted that I was born this way, my life changed a great deal."

Jang added that the mental suffering had been harder to overcome than the physical condition itself. "Honestly, the mental pain was more of a problem than the physical pain," Jang said. "It took a really long time to recover from, and it was a hard fight."

Jang said she never let go of music throughout the ordeal. "There has not been a single moment when I gave up on music," she said. "I am happiest when I can express what I am thinking through music. I have no intention of ever letting go of making music."