Why K-Pop Idols Take Mental Health Seriously
Have you ever thought that beneath all this glamour, there are a lot of tears, restless nights, and trauma?
Finally, at the age of 20, you break free from the rigid rules of the average Asian household. You feel as though you have reached a point where anything is possible. You so badly wanted to have a tattoo; you so badly wanted to have a nose ring. When you are self-sufficient enough to do so, and when you do the things you enjoy, everyone around you flocks to you like a pack of hyenas attacking you. This is exactly what happened to most of the K-pop idols.
The life of a K-pop idol is more traumatic than you can ever imagine. People are watching your every move. And they do not stop there. They judge you. The whole concept of idolatry is somewhat problematic here. The dictionary meaning of idol is an image or depiction of a god that is utilized as an object of worship. In the Korean culture, idols are understood to signify exactly what is the same. The general public expects idols to behave in a certain manner. And if they fail, the criticism that follows can be so traumatizing that a person would consider taking their own life.
As the world population review indicates, the suicide rate in South Korea is 28.6 suicides for every 100,000 people as in 2022. And it is the 4th highest in the world. As the country with the fastest internet, practically everyone in the country is tech literate, and news and gossip spread in a split second. Cyber bullying is one of the worst issues any celebrity faces in South Korea because it leads people towards severe psychological issues.
Sulli, this gorgeous girl killed herself on October 13th, 2019, when she was just 25 years old. She was continuously cyberbullied for whatever she did. She was criticized for the characters she portrayed. She was criticized for dating. She was criticized for her fashion. She was criticized for her appearance. People had some reason or the other to criticize her. Sulli initially lashed out against all of the bullying, probably as a defense mechanism. But there is a limit to what a single person can endure, and this lonely girl, who was in the prime of youth, could not endure it anymore. Sulli had revealed that she had suffered from panic disorder and social phobia since she was a child. And later, she suffered from severe depression. She pleaded for mercy, but there was none. Finally, Sulli hanged herself.
Sulli was openly bullied to the point she lost herself. Then what about Jonghyun? Jonghyun was the main vocalist in the boy band Shinee. This band was one of the most famous second generation K-pop bands. Jonghyun’s career was super successful. He was an acclaimed songwriter and a composer, apart from being an idol. He has written songs for IU, EXO, and Shinee. Was there even anyone who hated him? I don’t think so. But at the age of 27, at the prime of his career, he killed himself. The whole industry was shattered because not many saw the signs. As Jonghyun’s suicide note indicates, he was so stressed out by the fame. "Becoming famous was probably not my life. They tell me that's why I'm having a hard time... Why did I choose that? It's funny that I'm able to endure this much. " Human life is so fickle that the person we assume to be the happiest and the strongest can crumble at the next moment.
There are so many Korean celebrities who have ended their lives tragically. And the most recent incident was of Jeong Joong Ji, a former "Produce 101 Season 2" contestant. On September 20, someone claiming to be Jeong Joong Ji’s mother took to Twitter to share the tragic news. "My son Joong Ji made the choice to end his life," she wrote. According to this post, Jeong Joong Ji took his own life on September 9. Back in 2017, Jeong Joong Ji was a hot topic in the entertainment industry. We are not sure of these allegations. However, a female acquaintance accused him of sexual harassment. This led to more issues with his agency, and the agency ended his contract. Following this incident, Jeong joong gi took to social media to say,
"It’s raining, so I can’t go. I’m sad…. I’m envious when I see my successful friends. I couldn’t even participate. My agency spread weird rumors for ‘noise marketing’ and ruined my life, so I ended up leaving the agency."
We had not heard of Joon Jeon Ji for the past 5 years until this September.
Reasons for mental health problems in showbiz can vary from too much love to too much hate. Since Sulli’s and Go Hara’s deaths, idols, as well as their agencies, take the psychology of artists seriously. And mental health is not a taboo anymore, which is really progressive. At least the bullies know when to stop now.
One of the biggest K-pop stars from our times is Shinee’s Teamin, who is currently serving in the army. Before enlistment, he was super busy with solo activities and as a member of SuperM. Teamin was just 14 years old when he debuted. And he has been working super hard until he enlisted on May 31st, 2021. Taemin initially joined the military band, and on January 14th, 2022, his agency published a statement, "Due to the symptoms of depression and anxiety that Taemin had been suffering from before [his enlistment], he continued to receive treatment and therapy even while carrying out his service. However, because his symptoms recently worsened, the military determined that it had become impossible for him to continue his military life and treatment at the same time, and he was accordingly transferred to supplementary service. " The nightmare is still vivid. However, what is better now is that the responsible people are standing with the idols when they need help the most.
Former Kara member Park Gyuri also spoke out about her mental health and her struggle following the death of fellow group member Go hara. Park Gyuri admitted that she felt constant pressure to avoid mistakes because she had been in the profession for a long time after making her acting debut as a young child. She felt under pressure to present only a positive image, but this eventually had a negative impact on her mental health. Gyuri deserves our admiration for being so forthright about her struggle on television.
As a result of the loss of so many valuable lives, the world around K-pop idols is paying close attention to their mental health now. Just like our body gets hurt, our mind too can get hurt. Most importantly, as fans and humans, we must avoid causing anyone mental distress. Take care of yourself and your loved ones, guys. As we near the end, let me remind you of some wise words from BTS. "You’ve shown me I have reasons, I should love myself"