'Shundori' Who Became a Shaman... "It Hurts to Hear I'm Stirring Trouble, I Cry Every Day"

Revealing Feelings After Appearing on YouTube and Becoming a Shaman
"The Spiritual Illness Affected Me Mentally... Preparing a Buddhist Temple"

Actor Lee Geon-ju (43), who gained popularity as ‘Sundori,’ revealed the reason and feelings behind his life as a shaman.

Lee Geon-ju debuted as a child actor in the 1986 drama ‘Sisahoe.’ He then received great love for his role as ‘Sundori’ in the MBC TV drama ‘Under One Roof.’

Recently, Lee appeared on the YouTube channel ‘Geunhwang Olympics’ and said, “I experienced a spiritual illness mentally,” adding, “Since the year before last, I suffered severe depression and heard the sound of bells. I wanted to die several times a day.” He continued, “I heard two women talking in the early morning, and while I was sleeping, five grandfathers looked down on me. One grandfather woke me up by hitting my head with a cane,” and recalled, “My depression became so severe that I thought I had a mental illness and cried every day.”

Actor Lee Geon-ju [Image source=YouTube channel 'Geunhwang Olympics' capture]

Lee said that until then, he had never thought that a spirit had possessed him. He said, “I just thought I was crazy and was wondering what to do when the shaman recognized my spiritual illness,” adding, “He dressed me, gave me bells and a fan, and told me to run. That’s when I realized and accepted that I had to become a shaman.”

Regarding the reactions after the news of him becoming a shaman spread, he said, “I received so many calls that my phone battery died,” and added, “The reactions were extreme. Many people asked, ‘Are you kidding? Is this article wrong? Are you filming something?’ My family still cries. I cried every day, and honestly, I still cry these days.”

Lee shared, “Some people say, ‘He’s losing popularity and, having failed at everything, is trying to stir up trouble by becoming a shaman,’ but that is a very painful comment. This path is so hard and difficult; who would choose it lightly?”

He said he is preparing a temple in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and added, “Thankfully, many people want to visit.” He continued, “It might be greedy, but I want to catch two rabbits. Along with being a shaman, I also want to work hard on the path of an actor or entertainer.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.