Jinsung's Cancer Worry on TV — What Doctors Revealed

For four weeks, Jinsung couldn't shake the phlegm. The cold symptoms that most people shrug off within two weeks refused to leave the 65-year-old trot legend's throat — and for a man whose entire career rests on his voice, that kind of persistence means something far more serious than a stubborn winter chill.

On the May 17 broadcast of KBS 2TV's variety program The President's Ears Are Donkey Ears (사장님 귀는 당나귀 귀), Jinsung brought his vocal concerns to a university hospital ENT specialist. What the cameras captured — and what viewers across Korea watched unfold in real time — was a man confronting not just a medical diagnosis, but the fear of a health battle he had already fought and survived once before.

The visit ended with both relief and a surgical recommendation. And it reminded millions of fans just how much they love the man behind "Borabit Yeopseo."

The Hospital Visit That Left Fans Holding Their Breath

Jinsung described his symptoms to ENT specialist Dr. Byeon Hyungkwon with the precision of someone who knows his instrument better than anyone: persistent phlegm for over four weeks, a voice that kept locking up, and the creeping sensation that something in his throat was simply not right.

"Usually, one or two weeks of medication would fix it," he told the doctor. "But this time it's been more than four weeks. The phlegm keeps coming back."

An endoscopic examination revealed what Jinsung had feared — and yet not quite in the way he'd imagined. The doctor identified a growth on his right vocal cord.

For a moment, the room went quiet. Jinsung leaned forward, his face shifting into the expression fans have never seen from him on stage: raw, unguarded fear. "Could it be laryngeal cancer?" he asked.

It was not. After an ultrasound and voice evaluation, Dr. Byeon delivered the verdict: a 5mm simple water cyst — a benign, non-cancerous growth that is medically manageable but requires surgical removal.

"The surgery is simple," the doctor reassured him. "There are no other growths. But a cyst like this does not heal on its own — it must be surgically removed to restore your voice properly."

Jinsung, visibly relieved but shaken, pushed back gently: "Can it heal naturally?" The answer was no. The placement of the cyst — deep in the larynx, invisible to the naked eye — makes watchful waiting ineffective. Only surgery can restore full vocal function.

From Blood Cancer to Vocal Cord Cyst — A Survivor's Story

To understand why Jinsung's reaction landed so heavily on viewers, you have to know what he survived in 2016.

That year, Korea's trot community was shaken when Jinsung revealed a simultaneous diagnosis of blood cancer (leukemia) and heart valve disease — two severe conditions striking at once. It was the kind of medical news that ends careers. For many artists, it would have been the beginning of a long, quiet fade.

Jinsung chose a different path. He fought. He recovered. And he came back to the stage with the same husky baritone voice that had defined Korean trot music for three decades — perhaps even more emotionally resonant for everything it had been through.

On the broadcast, Jinsung referenced that history unprompted, showing the scar from his past surgery. "I know someone who suffered from laryngeal cancer," he said quietly. "I've always been anxious about my throat." He even gestured toward the surgical mark that still marks his body — the physical reminder of the battle he won.

That backstory transformed a routine celebrity health update into something far more compelling: a survivor's double confrontation with his own body, caught in real time on national television.

What Is a Vocal Cord Cyst — And Why Singers Are Especially Vulnerable

Vocal cord cysts — known medically as vocal fold cysts or laryngeal cysts — are benign growths that form when mucous glands in the laryngeal membrane become abnormally blocked. Unlike vocal cord nodules, which appear as small callous-like bumps caused by friction, cysts fill with fluid or secretions, creating a pocket of tissue that distorts the voice's natural vibration.

Singers, teachers, actors, and others who rely heavily on their voice are disproportionately affected. The primary causes include excessive vocal use, improper vocal technique, chronic vocal strain, smoking, and dehydration. Symptoms often develop gradually: a hoarser voice, difficulty controlling pitch, a persistent foreign body sensation in the throat, and increasing vocal fatigue even during short conversations.

Unlike vocal nodules, which can sometimes improve with voice therapy alone, vocal cord cysts almost universally require surgical removal. The procedure itself is minimally invasive, typically performed under general anesthesia with a microscope, and carries a high success rate. However, post-surgical vocal rest — often ranging from one to two weeks of near-total voice silence — is essential to proper healing.

The long-term outlook is positive with proper management. A study from Drexel University in the United States found that the recurrence rate of vocal cord cysts was approximately 24.4% without follow-up management, but dropped to just 7.14% in patients who combined surgery with voice therapy and lifestyle changes. The protocol is straightforward: avoid alcohol, cigarettes, coffee, and spicy or fatty foods; stay hydrated with warm or room-temperature water; and rest the voice consistently in the weeks following surgery.

For a professional singer like Jinsung, the path forward is clear — and the prognosis is genuinely encouraging. The surgery is minimally invasive, the cyst is benign, and with proper vocal care, a full recovery is entirely within reach.

Fans Rally Behind a National Treasure

The episode triggered an immediate wave of concern and warmth from Jinsung's devoted fanbase. For many viewers, watching the trot legend sit in a hospital examination chair — anxious, vulnerable, staring at a screen showing a growth on his vocal cord — was deeply affecting. His voice is not just a professional instrument; for millions of Korean listeners, it is the soundtrack to entire chapters of their lives.

Online communities filled with messages of support following the broadcast. Fans recalled his 2016 cancer battle, marveled at his return, and urged him to prioritize rest over performance schedules. Comments beneath news articles were flooded with well-wishes: "Please rest and get well." "We'll be here waiting, no matter how long it takes." "Your voice has carried us through so much — now let us carry you."

The variety show format — which places celebrities in real-life situations rather than controlled studio settings — gave audiences something rare: genuine, unscripted emotion from an artist who is usually seen only at his most composed and performative. It was a reminder that behind the stage persona is a 65-year-old man who still carries the quiet anxiety of a cancer survivor every time something feels wrong in his body.

What Comes Next for Jinsung's Voice

Jinsung has not publicly confirmed a surgery date, but based on the medical guidance shared on the broadcast, doctors have strongly recommended prompt surgical intervention. The removal of a 5mm vocal cord cyst is considered a straightforward procedure, and with appropriate post-operative care, recovery timelines for professional singers typically range from six weeks to three months before returning to full vocal performance.

For fans, the wait will be the hardest part. Jinsung's voice — that distinctive, lived-in baritone that has weathered leukemia, heart surgery, and now a new battle — remains one of Korea's most irreplaceable musical instruments. And given everything he has already overcome, there is every reason to believe he will return to the stage stronger than before.

The episode of The President's Ears Are Donkey Ears aired on KBS 2TV on May 17, 2026.