'Finally my turn to give back': Man spends 11 years taking care of his bedridden mother

For the last 11 years, a 34-year-old man in South Korea has been taking care of his mother who was left paralysed after an accident.

When the incident happened in December 2015, Cho Bum-hee was 23 and was preparing to return to college after completing military service.  

He then took leave of absence from college and spent the next two years shuttling between hospital and home to care for her.

In an interview with The Korea Herald published on Wednesday (Feb 4), Cho said that doctors initially estimated his mother's chances of survival to be less than 30 per cent and that even with surgery she may never regain consciousness. 

His father and older sister would come to the hospital to help, but as they were both working full-time, the responsibility to care for his mother fell mainly on Cho's shoulders. 

"My mother gave me more love than words can express. I felt it was finally my turn to give back," Cho was quoted as saying.

In 2020, his mother's condition improved enough to be cared for at home and he was able to resume his studies, especially since classes were online due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

But he felt he had to "start earning money right away" and decided to quit college in his third year as an architecture student. 

He later took up video editing and did freelance work, mainly editing promotional videos for universities, reported The Korea Herald.

While Cho has no regrets about his life's trajectory, he admitted that the hardest part about caregiving is not the physical demand but loneliness. 

"You spend so much time caring for a loved one that you neglect your own emotional needs, and there are few people who truly understand what you're going through," he said.

"When I stayed with my mum in hospital, I saw many patients and families doing their best in extremely difficult situations. I want to become someone who could make a positive difference not only for my family, but also for others who need help."

In November 2025, Cho started sharing videos of his daily life, documenting moments of him caring for his mother including brushing her teeth, washing her feet and cooking and feeding her.

"When I felt alone, I wished there were just one person my age in the same situation," he said. 

"I think that's why my videos resonate with so many caregivers out there."

He has uploaded 27 videos on his YouTube channel so far with close to 6,000 subscribers, while his Instagram page has more than 9,000 followers.

His highest-viewed video has garnered 1.2 million views on YouTube and 1.7 million views on Instagram. 

@asiaone

For 11 years, Cho Bum-hee has been his mother’s hands and feet. Now 34, the South Korean man is touching hearts online by sharing the quiet, everyday moments of caring for his paralysed, bedridden mother. #news #SouthKorea #Caregiver #Life #Love

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esther.lam@asiaone.com