The core of the incident that Baek Jin-hee experienced is ‘blackout’, or the commonly called ‘film interruption phenomenon’. This phenomenon, called alcoholic amnesia in technical terms, occurs when the hippocampus area of ​​the brain is temporarily paralyzed by alcohol, preventing short-term memories from transferring into long-term memories. If you suddenly drink a large amount of alcohol on an empty stomach, as in Baek Jin-hee's case, your blood alcohol level rises rapidly and the brain's information processing system is completely shut down. This goes beyond simply not being able to remember what happened yesterday, but refers to a dangerous condition in which one's body moves against one's will, one's judgment is paralyzed, and one may be exposed to a crime or accident. The fact that she lost all her earrings, rings, and bracelets and woke up in an unfamiliar taxi strongly suggests the possibility that she had already lost control of her brain and had become the target of someone else's crime.

Many people dismiss blackouts as nothing more than a casual saga at a drinking party, but the medical community warns that it is a direct train to alcoholic dementia. Repetitive blackouts continually destroy brain cells, which ultimately causes brain atrophy and neuroinflammation, leading to irreversible decline in cognitive function. Baek Jin-hee's expression, “I was so scared of myself,” is a very appropriate response. This is because the fear you feel when you realize that you are drunk and cannot even control your body or protect your belongings is tantamount to the collapse of your dignity as a human being. Experts point out that if this phenomenon becomes more frequent, damage to the frontal lobe can accelerate, leading to loss of ability to control emotions and impulsive or violent personality changes.

This incident also served as an opportunity to rediscover the character Baek Jin-hee. She was already active in the entertainment industry during her college years, but according to the testimony of her classmates, she was a ‘celebrity-like student’ who felt somewhat distant. However, contrary to her glamorous appearance, we can see that she was an ordinary youth at the time, no different from her peers, who relied on alcohol to forget the pain of everyday life. The awkwardness of not being able to mix with people in the group photo suggests the hardships of a young actor who has to endure the public's gaze. The binge drinking incident that occurred against this background comes across as a human narrative that shows how she reorganized her life and made the extreme but wise decision to ‘abstain from drinking.’

The message Baek Jin-hee’s case sends to us is clear. The truth is that alcohol is not simply a tool to make you feel better, but can be a powerful toxic substance that can threaten your brain, body, and even your safety. In particular, economic losses such as getting caught in a taxi fare or losing valuables are just the tip of the iceberg, but in reality, it is like taking a risky gamble with your precious memories and safety as collateral. Her decision to quit drinking completely from that day on was her strongest defense mechanism to protect her life. It is time to move away from a culture that encourages drinking and consider a mature drinking culture in which people take responsibility for their own brain health and safety.