Self-harming older brother, Mi-so dreaming of becoming a webtoon artist... Yong-seong desperately needs treatment costs

Nanum 0700: To Yong-seong, the brother from the stars

*Broadcast Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026, at 11:25 AM, EBS 1TV

Seventeen-year-old Yong-seong, who has severe autism spectrum disorder, and fourteen-year-old Mi-so, who takes care of her brother.

“(Yong-seong) should be considered one of the so-called most severely disabled among those with developmental disabilities.” - Mental Health Specialist

“(Because my parents) can't pay attention to me... it can't be helped, so I understand that. But in my heart, I am sad. I'm a little sad.” - Second child, Kim Mi-so

Mi-so (14), who has a very beautiful smiling face, has drawing as a hobby. Her favorite animal is the whale. When she draws whales swimming freely in the wide ocean, she forgets her worries for a moment and becomes immersed in her drawings. However, Mi-so has a worry that she cannot easily share. It is that her older brother Yong-seong's (17) condition is getting worse. Yong-seong has difficulty regulating his emotions due to severe autism spectrum disorder. When his anxiety intensifies, he exhibits self-harming behaviors, such as hitting his own body. He can only calm his anxiety after being fitted with a headgear and having his hands tied to apply physical pressure. Since she was young, Mi-so has helped with housework and cared for Yong-seong to assist her parents. She understands the circumstances that force her parents to prioritize her brother, but she sometimes feels upset when all the attention is focused on him. The hearts of her father Kim Jeong-sik (51) and mother Leni Gacis (40), who watch Mi-so, are also heavy. They always feel apologetic for not being able to give their daughter enough attention while caring for their sick son.

A father who finds it difficult to find employment due to disabilities caused by a brain hemorrhage, and a mother who is responsible for the livelihood through restaurant work

“Practically, it seems like the work he used to do will not be easy. He hopes to drive a forklift, but because his legs are uncomfortable, there could be safety issues. Since his will to work directly is great, (we) are thinking of finding a job that fits his situation.” - Director of the Support Center for Families of People with Disabilities

“Why is Yong-seong sick? My heart feels so bad. If Yong-seong is gone, I will die too. Even if it is so hard, I just endure it.” - Mother, Leni Gacis

In the past, after collapsing from a brain hemorrhage, the father suffered right-side hemiplegia and was eventually diagnosed with a Grade 3 brain lesion disability. Consequently, he had no choice but to quit his forklift driving job, and he set out to find work again despite his physical discomfort to provide for Yong-seong's treatment costs and Mi-so's education expenses. However, amidst the continuous economic recession, he has failed to find employment repeatedly. Ultimately, the mother, who came from the Philippines, started working at a restaurant to take responsibility for the family's livelihood. However, with only the basic livelihood security benefits and the mother's part-time income, it is difficult to cover even the basic living expenses of the household. The most urgent matter at present is specialized treatment for Yong-seong's autism spectrum disorder. He needs sensory integration therapy and behavioral intervention therapy, and if necessary, inpatient treatment, but it is difficult to raise the treatment costs, which amount to millions of won.

Please send your support so that Mi-so can achieve her dream!

“My dream is to be a webtoon artist. Someday, I want to draw our family's story. Brother, once you are all better from being sick, let's all go on a trip with Mom and Dad and have fun together. Okay?” - Second child, Kim Mi-so

The dream of the mature Mi-so, who has never once complained, is to be a webtoon artist. In the final page of the manga Mi-so will draw, there is a desperate wish she truly wants to achieve. It is a scene where Yong-seong takes off his headgear, becomes healthy, and the four family members all go on a trip together to the mother's hometown in the Philippines. So that Yong-seong can successfully receive the necessary treatment and Mi-so can also freely draw her bright tomorrow... we ask for the warm interest and love of the viewers.

is a representative social contribution program of EBS that supports neighbors in need by collecting donations of 3,000 won per call. In the episode 'To Yong-seong, the brother from the stars' of , which broadcasts on EBS 1TV on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at 11:25 AM, the story of seventeen-year-old Yong-seong with severe autism spectrum disorder and his fourteen-year-old sister Mi-so, who takes care of her brother, is told.

*Related photos are available on the EBS institutional website (about.ebs.co.kr)-Cyber PR Office-Highlight, on the corresponding broadcast date.

◆ At a Glance

· Issuing Institution: EBS

· Category: Nanum 0700

· Distribution: September 11

Source: EBS Press Release

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