“Stairway to Heaven” Star Removed Huge Chunk of Liver, Hospitalized without Family

On January 20, Kwon Sang Woo appeared on YouTube channel “Jjan-han hyung Shin Dong Yup” to promote his upcoming movie “Hitman 2”. During the show, he revealed undergoing surgery to remove a palm-sized portion of his liver.

 “I discovered a liver hemangioma during a health check-up. The doctor showed me images and said they removed a piece of my liver as big as a palm,” Kwon Sang Woo shared.

Following medical advice, he rushed into surgery after learning his tumor could grow to 10 cm, which would require more invasive procedures. “My father passed away from liver cancer, so the doctor suggested surgery when my tumor reached 6 cm,” he added.

Kwon admitted feeling lonely during his hospital stay since his wife and children live in the U.S.: “I didn’t make a big deal about it. I underwent surgery alone before filming ‘Hitman 2’. It was a long hospital stay, and without my family, I felt isolated. Even after losing 30% of my liver, it was still abnormally large—comparable to a normal-sized liver. I started filming once I recovered.”

Currently, Kwon’s wife, Son Tae Young, and their two children reside in the U.S., while he works in Korea, visiting them during breaks.

This isn’t Kwon’s first medical ordeal. Five years ago, he underwent Achilles tendon surgery after an injury on the set of “The Pirates: Goblin Flag” in November 2020.

Meanwhile, the same episode also feature “Marry My Husband” star Lee Yi-kyung, who recalled how his father tried to prevent him from acting in a queer movie and confessed his thoughts about marriage.

Kwon Sang Woo debuted in fashion modeling before transitioning to acting in 2001. He rose to fame in “Stairway to Heaven” and “My Tutor Friend”, cementing his place in the industry with hit projects like “Sad Love Story”, “Cinderella Man”, and “The Accidental Detective”. He married former Miss Korea Son Tae Young in 2008, and they have a family with a son and a daughter.