Jung Il-woo Reflects on Life, Illness, and Choosing Duty Over Exemption

By Wooju, Lee

Aug 05, 2025

Jung Il-woo Reflects on Life, Illness, and Choosing Duty Over Exemption



'Morning Madang' revealed why Jung Il-woo chose to serve as an alternative to the diagnosis of brain aneurysm, which is the reason for exemption from the military.

Actors Jung Il-woo and Jeong In-sun from KBS1 drama `Morning Madang' aired on the 5th appeared.

Jung Il-woo rose to stardom by debuting MBC 'High Kick' without hesitation. Jeong Il-woo, who passed through the 400:1 competition ratio in four rough auditions, said "Thankfully, the work went so well and received a lot of love. Many people say 'Aren't you loved a lot?', but I thought all the actors would be like that when I shoot a work. I thought I was receiving a lot of attention and love, but after a while, it wasn't like that. I later realized that this work became my representative work."




However, at the age of 27, Jeong Il-woo was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm and went through a life change. Brain aneurysm is a disease in which some of the blood vessels in the brain swell like balloons, and if it bursts, it can lead to cerebral hemorrhage.

Jung Il-woo Reflects on Life, Illness, and Choosing Duty Over Exemption
Jeong Il-woo, who was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm after a car accident in 2006, said, `When I was in my 20s, I was driving myself constantly, and it took me a break"As I realized that I didn't know what tomorrow would be like, I looked back on myself, and I went on the pilgrimage to Santiago three times." I think I also needed time to look back on myself.'

Brain aneurysms are exempt from military service, but Jeong Il-woo chose alternative service instead of military exemption. Jeong Il-woo, who served as an alternative service in a nursing home, said "I took care of the elderly with dementia and looked at life again."Life was vain, but I thought I should run more when I was young." "I lived with anxiety and anxiety about the future, but now I have a mindset to enjoy reality and do it leisurely," he said.




As for the reason for choosing alternative service, "I called my mother when I got out of the hospital after being diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. However, her mother laughed when she said 'I still have to go to the military.

Jeong Il-woo said "I didn't go because of that, but I thought I wouldn't be able to do anything if I hid that I had this disease. So he said, `I'll serve as an alternative.'

Currently, Jung Il-woo is in good health through constant follow-up management. Jeong Il-woo "There are no differences other than occasional headaches. I'm trying to live a healthy life while exercising,' he said.






wjlee@sportschosun.com