The loss of a mother in high school, being the daughter of a barber shop, and the “K-eldest daughter” who raised siblings while paying for tuition. While these stories might seem common, they are the real-life struggles of stars we know as glamorous icons.
Behind the success of these singers and actors were lives spent caring for family and fierce battles to overcome poverty.
◆ Rain: A Youthful Struggle and the Loss of His Mother Due to Lack of Medical Funds
Rain credits his mother as the driving force that allowed him to work relentlessly and overcome trials. His mother passed away in December 2000 due to diabetes complications. Although it was a treatable condition with proper insulin, the family was too poor during the IMF crisis to afford painkillers or medical bills. Appearing on the MBC show “Knee-Drop Guru” in 2008, Rain expressed his resentment toward poverty and the pain of not being able to save her, stating, “If we had money, she could have lived. Diabetes is manageable with treatment.”
Often going hungry, Rain even lied to his mother in his senior year of high school, saying he was going to school when he actually went to work at construction sites. With his father working overseas, he had to care for his sick mother alone.
Park Jin-young, Rain’s former agency CEO, shared in a KBS2 interview that Rain once asked for help because his mother was very ill. Although treatment was provided through Park’s guarantee, she passed away two weeks after admission. Rain shared a heartbreaking memory, saying he cooked seaweed soup for her birthday about two weeks before she passed, and that she likely forced herself to eat it, knowing it was her last meal.
The trials didn’t end there. Rain couldn’t afford a proper funeral, and a house fire subsequently destroyed everything, including his mother’s belongings and photos. In despair, he wondered why the world had turned its back on him and even broke furniture in frustration. However, he discovered a bankbook and a letter left by his mother. The letter asked him to take care of his sister, and the bankbook contained money she had saved by skipping her own painkillers for her children.
Seeing the letter and bankbook, Rain regained his resolve. He vowed, “If the world has turned its back on me, I will stand on my own two feet and take care of my family. I cannot afford to be exhausted or collapse.” This experience became the strength that allows him to face any hardship today.
Lee Hyori was the “barber shop daughter.” In her 2008 song “Barber Shop Daughter,” she sings, “No matter how much time passes, I’m still the barber shop daughter.” Her father ran an 8-pyeong shop called “Jungang Barber Shop” in Sadang-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul. At one point, the family’s total assets were as low as 500 won.
Six family members lived in a tiny room attached to the shop, using shared commercial restrooms. She recalled waking up to find bedbugs dead around the plastic sheets they slept on. After working part-time jobs through high school, she was cast and debuted with the girl group Fin.K.L in 1998, quickly becoming a superstar. As the youngest of four children (one son, three daughters), she unexpectedly became the primary breadwinner for her family.
Beyond poverty, she faced emotional struggles. Her father was very strict, sometimes flipping the dinner table if she picked at her side dishes or used soap twice.
On the MBC Every1 show “Tteokbokki House Oppa,” she shared, “It’s not that I hated my father, but alongside my love for him, there were wounds.” Despite this, she worked bravely to face her childhood fears and heal.
“It’s okay to cry. Crying is a good thing because it means what’s inside is coming out,” and other words of wisdom from Lee Hyori on various variety shows have provided comfort to many.
In a 2008 episode of KBS “Human Theater,” she showed her devotion to her siblings even as a high school senior. Having grown up with parents busy with business, she felt a deep responsibility to raise her younger siblings.
Nam Bo-ra debuted in 2006 through the sitcom “Look Back with a Smiling Face” and later gained attention in the movie “Sunny” and the drama “Moon Embracing the Sun”.
She used her earnings to pay for her siblings’ academy fees and college tuition. On the Channel A talk show “Dr. Oh Eun-young’s Golden Counseling Center” in 2021, she recalled the difficulties of living as the eldest daughter.
During the show, Dr. Oh Eun-young noted that Nam Bo-ra likely experienced a coexistence of the forced responsibility of the eldest daughter and her own desire for leadership.
Her siblings called her “Um-ni” (a blend of “Mom” and “Unnie”). While she sometimes wondered why she had to do the cooking, she felt that since the first and second children received more benefits, she should give back to the younger ones. She never regretted paying for their education.
Giving became her way of life. Nam Bo-ra finds healing through volunteering. For eight years, she has volunteered in slum areas every third Saturday of the month, donating 500 winter paddings and gifting a van to an orphanage.
On the religious channel “GOOD TV,” she reflected, “I think I’ve gained the strength to give to others. Rather than a conscious decision to volunteer, it seems my childhood habit of yielding and sharing with my siblings naturally led to this lifestyle.”
Rain, who married actress Kim Tae-hee in 2017, now has a happy family with two daughters. Recently, he has been strengthening his identity as a singer alongside his acting career.
Returning after four years on the 11th with the new song “FEEL IT (너야),” he is showcasing the R&B pop genre for the first time since his debut. He is set to perform at the “2026 Weverse Con Festival” in June and is planning a large-scale solo year-end concert. Even after 24 years since his debut, he continues to be recognized for his consistent self-management.
Lee Hyori married singer and guitarist Lee Sang-soon in 2013. In 2025, she opened “Ananda Yoga,” showing her deep passion for yoga.
In January, she continued her mature musical journey by participating in lyricist and producer Park Chang-hak’s Songbook project. Following her father’s passing on April 12, stories of their relationship have resurfaced, touching many fans.
Nam Bo-ra has entered a new chapter of her life by achieving her childhood dream of starting a business and starting a family. After launching a hand sanitizer business in 2021, she has been selling seasonal fruits online since 2023.
She married a non-celebrity she met through volunteering in May 2025, announced her pregnancy in December, and is expecting her baby in June. She also communicates with the public by sharing her large family’s daily life on broadcast.
