Emotional Revelations on 'My Precious Child' as a Youngster Opens Up About Mental Health Struggles

In the latest episode of Channel A's 'My Precious Child' (금쪽같은 내 새끼), a young participant, known as 금쪽이, shared deep-seated emotional wounds stemming from a past hospitalization in a mental health facility. During the broadcast on January 3, 2025, 금쪽이’s mother invited an old friend over, prompting 금쪽이 to unexpectedly ask, "What year is it now?" After the mother left the room, 금쪽이 revealed, "It’s been two years since I met a friend my age; I had no friends after transferring schools."

The young participant recounted, "I was taken to a mental hospital," expressing feelings of injustice about spending three months there. "My mom struggled so hard to get me in; how could she just let me out?" 금쪽이 shared painful experiences, mentioning the presence of troubled peers, including those with criminal backgrounds, and expressed fear of being taken back to the hospital.

In response, 금쪽이’s parents explained that there was a difference in perspective regarding the hospitalization. They stated that due to issues with school refusal, emotional crisis support was necessary, and that 금쪽이 had chosen to enter the hospital voluntarily. The mother added that while there was an attempt to discharge early, a minimum healing period of three months was required for optimal treatment. After returning to school, 금쪽이 initially managed to attend without issues, but eventually fell back into isolation during a holiday break.

Psychologist Oh Eun-young commented on the situation, noting that a sensitive child like 금쪽이 likely agreed to participate in filming to feel more comfortable, suggesting a desire to overcome personal challenges. However, she cautioned that the disparity between expectations and reality could lead to difficulties in social interactions and feelings of competition among peers. Oh emphasized the importance of addressing the trauma associated with the hospitalization to prevent growing distrust towards parents.