Actor Lee Joo-ahn disclosed the experience of giving up the greater part of his liver to rescue his mother on the October 18 episode of MBC variety show "Omniscient Interfering View," reports Maeil Business Newspaper.

As reported by TenAsia, Lee made headlines when he showed up on the program shirtless, displaying a visible mark on his belly. On the show, he clarified, "It's a surgical scar from donating my liver to my mother."

He remembered the early problems his mother had. "About eight years ago, my mother was suffering from cirrhosis. I was told my liver was slightly smaller than average. Of the three doctors at the time, one opposed the procedure, and my mother initially told me not to go through with it," Lee revealed.

The Maeil Business Newspaper reported that, when Lee's mother's condition deteriorated, Lee chose to go ahead with the transplant. He stated, "Her illness progressed to liver cancer and she fell into a coma. The decision was in my hands, and I resolved to go ahead with the surgery, thinking, 'Let me return to my mother what came from her.'"

He also shared the emotional burden of the surgery. "I was far more worried about something happening to my mother than I was afraid of the surgery itself," he said, Lee attested that his mother has since made a complete recovery.

Lee explained the risks and complications that he went through during the surgery. "I had 70 to 80% of my liver removed. Before the operation, the doctor warned me that I could die. Usually, the donor is discharged first, but on the night I was discharged, I had complications near my gallbladder and had to return to the emergency room. In the end, my mother was discharged before me and even visited me in the hospital," he said

Looking back on the long-term impact, Lee added, "Although the liver is said to regenerate after donation, I feel its function has slightly diminished."

Lee Joo-ahn's honest report brings to light the great physical and emotional costs of living organ donation. His experience has elicited widespread acclaim for his love of his mother and for his honesty regarding the difficulty of the transplant process.