Oh Yoon-ah’s Quiet Battle: From Beating Cancer to Raising a Son with Autism Amid a New Health Scare
Actress Oh Yoon-ah, widely admired for her elegance and career longevity, has opened up about the deeply personal battles she’s endured behind the scenes, battles that go far beyond the glitz of red carpets and TV screens.
Appearing on the April 8 episode of “Because I’m Solo (tentative title),” the veteran actress revealed a concerning health development. Ten years after her recovery from thyroid cancer, her test results have once again shown abnormal readings.
“They told me my thyroid levels went up for the first time since I recovered from cancer. I had no choice but to increase my medication,” Oh said. “Maybe it’s because I’ve been too active… I haven’t been resting enough.”
Co-star Lee Soo-kyung expressed concern: “I’ve never seen you take a break. You’re always working, you really need to rest.” But for Oh Yoon-ah, rest isn’t a luxury she can afford.
A Mother’s Unshakable Devotion
Through tears, she confessed, “I have to earn money on my own, so I can’t afford not to work. My priority isn’t myself, it’s my son. When you have a baby, you realize there’s a life that exists not to receive, but to be given to. I feel this duty to protect him more than my own life.”
Oh Yoon-ah married in 2007 and gave birth to her son the same year, only to later reveal in 2015 that the marriage had ended. Around that time, her son was diagnosed with autism, a diagnosis that brought new challenges and shaped her future.
In a 2023 episode of Table for 4, Oh spoke about how she discovered her cancer while balancing work and her son’s medical visits. “I was constantly running to hospitals while filming a drama. One day, the director pointed out that my neck looked swollen. When I finally went to the hospital, they said it was thyroid cancer.”
She underwent surgery after filming, losing her voice for eight months in the aftermath.
Still Standing For Her Son
Despite it all, Oh Yoon-ah continues to raise her son as a single mother, fulfilling both parental roles with unconditional love. She’s been open about his condition in public forums and variety shows, not for pity, but to normalize and inspire.
She’s even shared her longing for another child, “I never thought about it before, but now I feel like I would have liked to have another.”
With honesty, resilience, and a mother’s boundless strength, Oh Yoon-ah continues to move audiences, not just through her acting, but through her life itself.
