On the February 25 broadcast of tvN’s variety show You Quiz on the Block, Heo Gayoon shared updates about her current life in Bali, Indonesia, where she has been living for the past three years. When host Yoo Jae Suk asked why she chose to leave Korea, she explained that it wasn’t a sudden decision but rather the result of accumulated hardships.
“I never once thought, ‘I have to leave,’” she said. “But difficult things kept piling up, and my body started to break down too. I thought, ‘Let me go somewhere and rest for a while.’ When I got there, I felt such peace.”
Yoo Jae Suk commented that she looked radiant and healthy, even comparing her to the animated character Moana. Gayoon responded that many people had told her the same. She also addressed common misconceptions, saying, “People think I must have saved a lot of money or come from a wealthy family, but that’s not true at all. In Bali, I spend less than 10,000 won a day. It’s affordable if you live like a local. I actually spent more money when I was living in Korea.”
The conversation also touched on 4Minute’s disbandment. After seven years together, the group parted ways without a formal farewell announcement. “All the members had regrets,” she recalled. “We had been together for seven years, so it felt bittersweet.”
After transitioning into acting, Gayoon faced repeated setbacks at auditions. “Every audition would end up being about 4Minute,” she said. “Things just didn’t work out.” As her hiatus grew longer, the psychological pressure intensified. “The question I hated hearing the most was, ‘What are you doing these days?’ I kept holding on, but eventually my body started to collapse.”
She revealed that her struggles began with insomnia. “As I stayed awake longer and longer, my appetite kept increasing,” she explained. “Later I realized it wasn’t just hunger it was binge eating disorder.” She described buying large quantities of food from convenience stores lunchboxes, bread, sandwiches, snacks and consuming them all at once.
“It wasn’t the same as being hungry,” she said. “Even when I wasn’t hungry, my hands would tremble, and I couldn’t feel full. I would only stop when my stomach hurt so much it felt like it would burst. The urge to eat completely took over my mind. I’d run out wearing whatever I had on, just throwing a padded jacket over my clothes, and come back to eat immediately. I couldn’t even wait to take the jacket off.”
This pattern continued for nearly seven years. “At first, I didn’t realize how much I was eating,” she admitted. “Then one day I looked around and saw piles of wrappers. That’s when I realized how serious it was.”
Eventually, she sought help from a psychiatric clinic, where she was diagnosed with strong perfectionist tendencies and severe obsessive-compulsive symptoms alongside her eating disorder.
Today, Gayoon says she is recovering through a balanced lifestyle in Bali that includes regular routines, exercise, and rest. Her candid confession has resonated with many viewers, shedding light on the often-hidden mental health struggles faced by idols after their careers shift or end.
Sources: Daum
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