Physicist Kim Sang-wook shared his recent experience with a heart attack crisis and urgent cardiovascular stenting.
On the September 19 episode of tvN's You Quiz on the Block, Kim Sang-wook made his appearance jokingly stating, "I'm standing here without dying." Yoo Jae-suk and Jo Se-ho greeted him with relieved smiles.
Kim reflected on the premonitory symptoms he experienced before the Chuseok holiday, which he had been unaware of. He described, "Since August, I had a feeling of bloating and indigestion. Even with light hiking or just moving a little, I felt pressure in my chest, but it vanished quickly, so I brushed it off as nothing serious." For Kim, who had only dealt with common symptoms like disk issues and indigestion, heart problems were completely unexpected.
As symptoms began to repeat themselves, he thought they might be related to angina and scheduled a check-up at a major hospital, but the earliest appointment was a month and a half later. While waiting for the Chuseok holiday, he suddenly experienced intense pain one night while reading a book. His wife, noticing his condition, urged him to go to the hospital without hesitation.
Upon arriving at the hospital, the situation changed drastically. After undergoing various tests, the medical staff told him, "Your current condition is very dangerous," and immediately instructed him to be hospitalized. Kim stated, "I felt completely fine, I couldn't believe those words." He was transferred to the intensive care unit and underwent emergency stenting in the early morning hours.
Kim described the moment he observed the procedure as 'surreal.' He recalled, "I was awake during the partial anesthesia, and I could see the catheter moving through the blood vessels clearly." After the procedure, due to persistent bleeding at the incision site, he had to lie still for over 20 hours. He added, "In a space where I couldn't use my smartphone or read a book, I just stared at the ceiling, wondering 'What on earth is happening?'"
After overcoming the crisis, Kim shared that he felt a new appreciation for life. He reflected, "If it had been a little later, I might not be here today. If my wife hadn't acted at that moment, it would have been a real crisis. I truly realized how fleeting life is."