Koo Hye-sun Confesses to Experiencing Anaphylaxis: "Fainted Twice" and Reveals Challenge of Eating Marinated Crab

After actress Ku Hye-sun revealed her experience of not showing anaphylaxis symptoms after eating marinated crab, various reactions followed online. Ku Hye-sun appeared on the MBN variety show ″Kim Ju-ha’s Day and Night″ aired on the 18th and personally shared the situation when she left the 2017 drama ″You Are Too Much″ due to health issues and her subsequent experiences. She stated that most foods triggered allergic reactions in her food allergy tests and that she had lost consciousness during filming. She especially recalled that when she fainted in the restroom, a janitor found her by noticing her hair. She said that during the emergency, she thought, ″I hope they don’t open the door.″ Ku Hye-sun explained that she had a great fear of food but that the food she wanted to eat the most was marinated crab. She said, ″People eat to live, so you can’t live your whole life without eating,″ and although shellfish caused the most severe allergic reactions, she ate marinated crab after preparing allergy medicine and an epinephrine pen. She added, ″I was determined to ’eat and die,’ but strangely, no symptoms appeared,″ and later said she was able to eat various foods well. She also added the expression, ″I ate as if to die, and the illness got better.″ After Ku Hye-sun’s broadcast, opinions were divided online regarding her remarks. Some netizens expressed concerns that anaphylaxis, a severe allergic disease, might be perceived as a condition that naturally improves or can be cured by eating, and that food allergies and anaphylaxis could be confused. There were also worries that patients with similar conditions might imitate the same behavior. On the other hand, other netizens pointed out that Ku Hye-sun was only sharing her experience and did not explain it as a treatment method, that allergy symptoms can vary or disappear depending on the individual, and that it is inappropriate to generalize and criticize based on a personal case. Ku Hye-sun left the 2017 MBC drama ″You Are Too Much″ during filming due to health issues. At the time, her agency stated that she withdrew from the project based on medical opinions that she was diagnosed with anaphylaxis and severe allergic gastrointestinal dysfunction requiring long-term treatment. Ku Hye-sun did not issue a separate statement even after the broadcast aired.