Lee Seung-gi talked about the expectations and pressures of being called “Nation’s Younger Brother” that weighed on him
Lee Seung-gi confessed the burden and responsibility of getting called “Nation’s Younger Brother” by the public.
Lee Seung-gi immediately became “Nation’s Younger Brother” immediately after he debuted. Apart from his main job as a singer, Lee Seung-gi has been so successful in all areas of entertainment, including singing and entertainment programs’ MC, and is still one of the top celebrities in the 20th year of his debut.
The expectations and burdens that come from being in the first place became heavier. In particular, Lee Seung-gi’s shoulders were weighed down by the responsibility of setting a good example and doing well because he is the eldest son in his family.
On behalf of eldest sons and daughters, Lee Seung-gi talked about the first burden on the recent broadcast of SBS’s “Circle House”, which aired on March 17th. He said, “There is probably a burden of having to do well. I can recognize the expectations from my parents. I instinctively know that my brother’s report card and mine weigh differently”.
He also confessed about the pressures that he used to turn a blind eye on, which are sometimes expressed at some point. “I didn’t know that I had endured so much, so I sometimes burst into tears out of a sudden. I don’t like crying, because crying doesn’t make me look manly. But when the pain burst, I could cry for 40 or 50 minutes without stopping. I was also very surprised. It felt like I have something stuck in my throat”, he shared.
Lee Seung-gi is often called together with “Nation’s” titles, such as “Nation’s Younger Brother”, “Nation’s Younger Boyfriend”, etc. He is a star who impressed everyone with his politeness and humble attitude despite being so good at everything. He was a person that the public had no choice but to adore so much.
Knowing the public’s expectations for him, Lee Seung-gi expressed the burden of maintaining such images. Lee Seung-gi said, “I don’t feel tired of the image of a model student. If I have to pick a difficult point, I think the basic expectations are high. Whatever I do. I feel a little pressured about that.” In particular, Lee Seung-gi revealed that he suffered from hair loss due to stress on KBS2’s “1 Night 2 Days“, the program which made him an “entertainment emperor”. He continued, “Entertainment is quite a burden to singers. I wanted to run away because it was too burdensome when I participated in ‘X-Man’ or ‘Girl Six’. I was so stressed at the time that I even lost my hair.”
His sincere and responsible personality has imprisoned himself. Lee Seung-gi revealed his experience of receiving psychiatric treatment on “Master in the House” last year. He said, “I went to a psychiatrist for treatment at the age of 29. Beyond the frustration of my mind, there was something wrong with my body. At first, I thought I wasn’t feeling well, so I got tested, but there was no problem. However, I was sick. Even then, I couldn’t talk about my feelings. There are things I instinctively defend.”
Lee Seung-gi is letting go of his burden and responsibility. In a YouTube video taken with his best friend, actor Lee Min-ho, Lee Seung-gi shared, “It’s difficult to let go of responsibility without taking responsibility for anything other than myself. There was a life in my work, but I’m practicing to separate that life from work.”
Lee Seung-gi, who has confessed his situation in an ambiguous way, is now breaking the wall of his own image by honestly expressing his feelings. The appearance of Lee Seung-gi, who seems to be accustomed to “letting go”, is more attractive than before.
