Webtoon artist and broadcaster Gian84 revealed that he overcame a tough period of panic disorder and alcohol dependency through running.
On the 18th, Gian84 appeared on singer Sean's YouTube channel, where the two engaged in various discussions while running.
Gian84 recalled, “The day I started serializing the webtoon 'Taste of College' is when I experienced panic disorder. I went to the hospital, took medication, and had counseling, but nothing seemed to work. After visiting several hospitals, the common advice was ultimately to exercise.”
He also confessed that he suffered from severe alcohol dependency before he started running. Gian84 shared, “Even when my body was in pain, I continued to drink. I couldn’t sleep without alcohol. I was drinking half a bottle of whiskey, so that amounted to about three bottles a week, which was almost at the level of dependency.” He added, “I had to be completely drunk to feel satisfied. The next day I would be suffering, but I repeated drinking the same way that night. It was an endless cycle.”
However, since he started running regularly, Gian84 gradually broke free from alcohol. He stated, “As my running distance increased, my alcohol intake decreased,” noting that running brought positive changes to his life.
Gian84 remarked, “The pain that I used to wake up with every morning has disappeared, and I’ve lost around 7 kg,” amazed by the benefits of running.
At the end, Gian84 expressed, “I think I will keep running until I die. I used to think that comic artists should have a dark side and that alcohol and cigarettes were fine. But when I felt like I was really going to die, I thought, 'I should live healthily.' I’m determined to run at least two to three times a week going forward.”