Actress Jeon Won-ju has drawn concern from online users due to her slurred pronunciation since confessing that she recently received a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment, which is known as a pre-dementia stage.
On Nov. 5, a video depicting Jeon Won-ju's daily life was uploaded to the personal YouTube channel of Kim Hyeong-geun, her adopted son and manager.
In the video, while having a meal with her manager, Jeon suggested to the filming staff that they go watch a musical together. Jeon Won-ju performed in the musical "One True Heart: Dandelion" at the Kim Yeon-su Hall of Gochang Cultural Center on the 5th.
Kim also recorded scenes of Jeon on stage and in the waiting room, but posted them as Shorts (short videos) rather than the main video.
After finishing her performance, Jeon said in the waiting room while still wearing her stage costume, "Why did I play the role of a poor girl? I did it to stand in such a good place." During this exchange, Jeon Won-ju displayed pronunciation so slurred that it was difficult to understand her words at first glance.
Netizens who watched the video expressed concern by leaving comments such as "Please go see a doctor once" and "Your pronunciation is slurred."
Previously, Jeon had confessed on TV Chosun's "Perfect Life" in May that she received a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment, a pre-dementia stage. Mild cognitive impairment refers to a condition where cognitive functions such as memory have declined, but daily life remains largely possible.
She also revealed on MBN's "Unforgettable Duet 2," which aired on the 31st of last month, that "I can't think of things and my memory is declining." During that broadcast, Jeon Won-ju was seen failing to remember a recent encounter while conversing with her friend of 55 years, actress Kim Hyeong-ja.
Jeon said, "I feel scared and anxious about the possibility of forgetting the life I have lived and the precious people in it."
Born in 1939, Jeon Won-ju worked as a voice actor before becoming an actress. She appeared in dramas such as "Love Grew on the Jujube Tree" and "Wind of Destiny."
in ENTERTAINMENT
