SHINee's Key Reflects on His Mother's Heart Surgery

On the February 12 episode of tvN's 'You Quiz on the Block' featuring the theme 'Miracles of Family,' SHINee's Key appeared alongside his mother, Kim Sun-hee. During the show, Kim Sun-hee shared that Key underwent heart surgery when he was just five years old. She recalled, "At that time, I was told that his recovery might be difficult. He was at a crossroads between life and death. While he was in the ICU, I thought that if I could see the medical staff walking around, then once he recovered, he could do anything."

Key reflected on his childhood, saying, "I used to wonder why my mom had a scar. She had heart issues while giving birth to me and now has an artificial valve." Kim Sun-hee also mentioned moments of despair, stating, "There were times I wished I could just close my eyes and not wake up, but I had to endure for my young son."

She recounted her experiences as a nurse, balancing her shifts with raising Key. "Whenever I had a Sunday off, I made sure to go on a trip," she said. Key reminisced, "We would go to Jirisan or even to Gangwon-do, despite the bad roads, just to make the most of our weekend."

Kim Sun-hee explained her choice to become a nurse, influenced by her own mother, who believed that women should pursue education and work. "My mother was a strong woman who insisted that I study hard and have a career, which led me to nursing," she shared. Key added that his grandmother had arranged for his mother to take English lessons in sixth grade, which instilled in her the importance of education. "Because of that, my mom always thought it was essential to teach her children English, so I grew up close to the language," he said.