Comedian Lee Soo Ji to Undergo Vocal Cord Surgery, Agency Confirms Recovery Plan

Comedian Lee Soo Ji will undergo surgery after being diagnosed with vocal cord nodules, her agency, CP Entertainment, confirmed on July 14. While the entertainer will take time off to recover, fans can expect to continue seeing her on television and YouTube because her current projects have already been filmed in advance.

According to CP Entertainment, Lee Soo Ji recently received the diagnosis and decided to proceed with surgery and treatment based on the recommendation of her medical team, AllKPop reported.

The agency said the procedure was advised after years of heavy voice use, even though her condition is not considered severe.

The good news for viewers is that her work schedule is expected to remain largely unchanged. Enough episodes of her SBS variety show "Uh, But Like, Seriously!" have already been recorded, allowing the program to air without interruption. Her popular YouTube channel, "Hot Issue Ji," which has more than 1.38 million subscribers, is also expected to continue uploading content as planned.

"After taking sufficient time to recover, Lee Soo Ji plans to resume her activities in good health," CP Entertainment said. "We will do our best to support her speedy recovery."

Lee Soo Ji Prepares for Recovery

Vocal cord nodules are small growths that develop on the vocal cords after long periods of voice strain or repeated vocal misuse. The condition often causes hoarseness, vocal fatigue, and difficulty reaching higher notes.

Many people who rely on their voices for work, including singers, actors, announcers, voice actors, and comedians, experience the condition. While some cases improve with voice therapy and rest, surgery may be necessary when the nodules become chronic or larger over time.

Lee Soo Ji's career has been built on her expressive voice, energetic performances, and memorable character work.

According to MaeilBusiness, since making her debut in 2008 as an SBS open-recruitment comedian, she has become one of South Korea's best-known comedians through hit programs including "Gag Concert," "SNL Korea," "Office Workers," and "Sisters' Cafe."

Her performances also earned her major recognition last year when she received female variety awards at both the Blue Dragon Series Awards and the Baeksang Arts Awards.

Despite her temporary break for treatment, Lee Soo Ji is also preparing for the premiere of ENA's upcoming Monday-Tuesday drama "New Recruit Season 4," which is scheduled to debut on Aug. 24.