Visually impaired actor Song Seung-whan: 'If I can't see, I create a way'

Actor Song Seung-whan has drawn significant attention following recent sightings of him using a walking cane. Even after receiving a diagnosis of visual impairment, his commitment to navigating daily life by personally devising tools suited to his condition offers a glimpse into a steadfast attitude toward life rather than mere pity.

On the 10th, Lee Seong-mi shared several photos on her SNS with the caption, "Celebrated Hee-eun unnie's birthday again this year. We have reached an age where we look after each other's health. Unnie, please stay with us for a long, long time."

The photos captured Song Seung-whan, Lee Seong-mi, Choi Yura, and Kim Hye-yeong gathered to celebrate singer Yang Hee-eun's birthday. Having maintained a long-standing bond, they spent time together in a warm atmosphere with bright expressions.

Amidst them, the silver cane in Song's hand caught the eye. Having previously revealed on a broadcast that he was diagnosed with a Grade 4 visual impairment, he was captured using a cane in his daily life.

In particular, the cane Song uses is not a simple walking aid. He reportedly modified it himself by attaching a light to the cane, allowing him to use bright illumination to better see his surroundings.

Instead of simply enduring his discomfort, he has essentially identified the necessary functions himself and turned them into tools. In the process of losing his vision, the method Song chose was closer to redesigning his way of life to fit his changed conditions rather than dwelling on "loss."

Song previously revealed that he was diagnosed with a Grade 4 visual impairment in 2019 due to macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.

Appearing on MBN's "Kim Ju-ha's Day and Night" this past January, he explained his current vision status, saying, "It's not that I can't see anything at all, but it's like a thick fog has rolled in, so I can't see well. I can see shapes." >

He also confessed that he had suffered from nyctalopia (night blindness) since his youth. Song stated, "They say nyctalopia is a precursor to this disease, and in fact, I have had night blindness since I was young." >

He sought out hospitals abroad to prevent the progression of the disease, but his condition once deteriorated rapidly. Recalling his feelings at the time, he said, "I even went to foreign hospitals to get treated, but it worsened rapidly over six months. One doctor told me, 'You might go blind in six months,' which made me feel extremely anxious at that time." >

Fortunately, contrary to expectations, it did not lead to complete blindness even after six months, and the progression of the disease stopped. However, he said he felt great despair when he heard there was no way to treat it. >

Nevertheless, Song began to gradually accept his reality. He remarked, "If I couldn't see at all, I might have fallen into an abyss, but since I can still see shapes and there are ways to resolve uncomfortable things, I think I was able to shake it off." >

His words contain not just his vision, but his attitude toward looking at life. For humans, disability or illness sometimes completely overturns the order of the familiar world. However, if one cannot live in the same way in a changed world, one can create a different way of life through new senses and new tools. >

Song adding light to his cane can be seen as one such way of adaptation. Rather than lamenting what he cannot see, he sought ways to see even a little more, and rather than accepting discomfort as is, he created solutions with his own hands. >

Actor Song Seung-whan, who has portrayed numerous characters on stage, is now performing another role in reality by adapting to new life conditions. The cane he holds seems to be more than a simple walking aid; it appears to be a symbol of his will to continue his life even in a changed world.