Lee Dong-gun, a 45-year-old South Korean actor, was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a rare ailment, during his appearance on the latest episode of a popular TV show.
The Sunday episode of ‘My Little Old Boy,’ an SBS show following single celebrities who are past the age conventionally considered a prime marriage age, featured Lee visiting the hospital for severe symptoms in his eye.
He told the doctor that he had had repeated onset of the inflammation of the uveitis, a form of eye inflammation that affects the middle layer of eye tissues, for over a year, which the doctor said was odd.
The doctor suggested that the actor is possibly suffering from ankylosing spondylitis, an inflammatory disease characterized by the spine being less flexible and possibly causing some of the bones in the spine to fuse. The diagnosis was backed by severe inflammation in the sacroiliac joint, which showed up in the X-ray images.
Ankylosing spondylitis does not have a known cure, but the symptoms can be managed to improve physical functions and slow its progress. Treatment includes a combination of physical therapy, exercise, and medication, and the actor was told to manage his diet and refrain from alcohol and tobacco.
Varying data suggest that around 0.1 percent to 1.4 percent of the global population may have AS. As of 2023, 55,375people in South Korea were suffering from the disease, which accounted for a little more than 0.1 percent of the 51.7 million population in the country at the time.
About 28.2 percent of the AS patients were in their 40s, followed by 22 percent in their 30s, and 12.9 percent in their 20s. It was a lot more common among men (40,208) compared to women (15,167).
Lee, who blossomed as an actor after a failed singing career, shot to stardom via his role in the 2004 drama ‘Lovers in Paris.’ His career spans across film, TV, and musicals.