Actress Park So Dam has opened up about the most difficult period of her career after being diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer at the age of 31.

Park So Dam had built a successful career through projects including The Priests , Parasite , Record of Youth and Death’s Game . However, her activities suddenly stopped after she received the cancer diagnosis in December 2021 and underwent emergency surgery.

The actress revealed that the illness changed her personality and daily life. Although she had always enjoyed meeting people, she became withdrawn during treatment. “I am not normally like this, but I did not even want to meet people,” she recalled.

The most frightening complication came after surgery, when Park So Dam struggled to use her voice properly for approximately six months. Because an actor depends heavily on speech to deliver dialogue and emotion, the experience made her question whether she could continue her career. “I wondered whether I would be able to keep acting,” she shared.

After gradually recovering, Park So Dam decided to challenge herself by doing something she had never attempted before. She traveled alone through Europe for 34 days, rented a car and visited Iceland, where she saw the Northern Lights. The journey helped her reflect on her life and regain emotional strength. “Would I have taken on a challenge like this if I had never become ill?” she reportedly thought while watching the aurora.

Park So Dam later returned through the film Phantom and the series Death’s Game . She has also signed with a new agency and is preparing for the release of her upcoming film The Journey to Gyeongju. Fans responded with messages of support, expressing relief that her voice had returned and praising her courage in overcoming the illness.

Sources: Daum | 스포엔 뉴세이