K-pop star Kwon Eun-bi shared her experiences of climbing the Himalayas on the latest episode of JTBC's variety show 'Knowing Bros'.
The episode, which aired on the 12th, featured comedian Lee Seung-yoon, singer Kwon Eun-bi, bodybuilder Ma Sun-ho, and track athlete Kim Min-ji.
Kwon Eun-bi revealed, "I recently went to the Himalayas. I ended up going after a spontaneous plan with Noh Hong-chul and Lee Si-young for 'Zombie Bus 2'. It was my first time hiking since middle school, and I found myself in the Himalayas."
She recounted climbing up to 5,000 meters above sea level, saying, "It was a three-day journey. We slept at lodges along the way. I took medication for altitude sickness from Korea, but I still had nosebleeds every morning. Hong-chul had to quit midway due to altitude sickness."
Reflecting on the climb, Kwon Eun-bi said, "It's truly dangerous. You can't wash in the Himalayas. We were told not to wash for four days because the lack of oxygen and cold could be fatal. I wore a beanie to sleep every night."
She added, "I could brush my teeth. I boiled a liter of water, hugged it to keep warm, and used it to wash and brush my teeth when it cooled down by morning." She also recalled, "We ate local food and ramen. The higher we climbed, the more expensive the same food became."
When asked about the difficulty, Kwon Eun-bi admitted, "Before reaching the summit, I thought I might die. I used to think participating in audition programs was the hardest thing, but now I feel like I could do it ten times over. It was an unimaginable pain."
She concluded, "I didn't expect to cry at the summit, but tears came. I was grateful to be alive. I wondered how I could have such an experience in life. I didn't think I would succeed, but going with my seniors made me feel more responsible."
Reported by Kim Eun-jung, TenAsia. eun@tenasia.co.kr