Choi Hoon
The author is a professor at Hallym University.
The popular sibling duo AKMU has returned with a new release. This comeback drew particular attention because of Lee Su-hyun, the younger sister. For several years, she had lived in seclusion in a darkened room due to symptoms of depression. She has now returned in visibly improved health.
She said her recovery owed much to her brother Lee Chan-hyuk. They lived together, exercised, and followed a managed daily routine. In a song he wrote for her during that time, the lyrics read, “open the door,
haetbit
[sunlight] bless you.”
Sibling duo AKMU celebrates the10th anniversary of their debut at their concert "10VE" held on June 15 and 16, 2024, at the KSPO Dome in southern Seoul. [YG ENTERTAINMENT]
People often advise those with depression to get sunlight and exercise. Sunlight activates the serotonin system, and serotonin helps regulate impulses and stabilize mood, playing a key role in easing depressive symptoms. It is also converted into melatonin in the evening, aiding sleep. Many antidepressants likewise work through the serotonin system. Sunlight itself can function as a form of treatment.
Yet such advice is often ineffective for those in the depths of depression. When symptoms are severe, a person may not even feel able to approach a window and open the curtains. Lee avoided meeting even her family, as concern from others felt burdensome when she could not act on it.
Her brother approached her carefully. He did not say, “You cannot live like this; look at the sun.” Instead, his first suggestion was simple: “Let’s live together.” Then he added, “Since we are living together, shall we try exercising together?”
Some have described AKMU’s return as a case of a brother pulling his sister back by the collar. That is partly true, but the process was far gentler. He offered his own life and moved toward her little by little, very slowly, taking her hand and walking with her toward the window. When she finally felt ready to open the curtains herself, he was there beside her, and the sunlight, prepared to bless them, quietly filled the room.
This episode underscores the limits of simple prescriptions for mental health. Recovery often requires time, patience, and the steady presence of someone willing to share daily life. Rather than urging immediate change, the approach shown here emphasizes companionship and gradual movement toward light. It is only when the person regains a sense of agency that advice such as seeking sunlight can truly take hold and begin to work.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
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