The apparent suicide of actress Kim Sae-ron has sparked fresh criticism of South Korea’s entertainment industry, known for its rigorous production of stars and the intense pressure and scrutiny they face.
Kim, 24, was found deceased in her Seoul residence this past Sunday, and police have yet to release additional details regarding her passing.
The actress had faced a barrage of negative media and online harassment following a drink-driving conviction in 2022.
Industry experts view her death as a grimly repetitive occurrence, noting that other celebrities have also succumbed to suicide after being overwhelmed by cyberbullying.
As Kim’s funeral took place on Wednesday, industry analysts expressed doubt that her death would spur any significant changes.
Despite its booming global popularity, the South Korean entertainment industry is under increasing scrutiny for its darker aspects.
The country’s highly competitive nature extends beyond show business, influencing all facets of life and contributing to one of the highest suicide rates among advanced nations. Notably, suicide rates among people in their 20s are on the rise.
Celebrities endure extraordinary pressures to maintain perfection, constantly under the watchful eyes of obsessive fans who have the power to make or break their careers.
A minor slip-up can end a career, as seen with Kim Sae-ron, whose appearances were removed from projects like Netflix’s 2023 drama “Bloodhounds” due to her decreased popularity.
“It is not enough that celebrities be punished by the law. They become targets of relentless criticism,” stated Korean culture critic Kim Hern-sik in an interview with the BBC.
He recalled the tragic suicides of K-pop artists Sulli and Goo Hara in 2019, who were tormented online despite not having legal troubles. Sulli had upset fans by deviating from the typical K-pop image, while Goo Hara was harassed online over her relationship with an ex-boyfriend.
“YouTubers get the views, forums get the engagement, news outlets get the traffic. I don’t think Kim’s death will change the situation,” he said.
“There needs to be harsher criminal punishment for leaving nasty comments,” he added.
Kim Sae-ron’s father has accused a YouTuber of contributing to her death, alleging that their controversial videos severely affected her emotionally.
Some have also blamed certain media outlets for exacerbating public disdain towards Kim by circulating unverified claims.
“This cycle of media-driven character assassination must stop,” demanded the Citizens’ Coalition for Democratic Media in a recent statement.
Drawing parallels to the dystopian series Squid Game, Na Jong-ho, a psychiatry professor at Yale University, critiqued the merciless societal backlash that follows celebrity missteps in South Korea.
“Our society abandons those who stumble and moves on as if nothing happened. How many more lives must be lost before we stop inflicting this destructive, suffocating shame on people?” he wrote on Facebook.
“Drunk driving is a big mistake. There would be a problem with our legal system if that goes unpunished. However, a society that buries people who make mistakes without giving them a second chance is not a healthy one,” he added.
Following her DUI, which resulted in a 20 million won fine in April 2023, Kim Sae-ron retreated from the public eye, a move not uncommon among public figures in similar situations.
However, not all public figures face the same harsh consequences. Politicians like opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who also has a past DUI conviction, have managed to recover their public standing, with Lee currently leading in presidential polls.
According to K-pop columnist Jeff Benjamin, the recovery process for artists who tarnish their “idol” image in South Korea is “extremely tough,” contrasting with Western entertainment industries where scandals can sometimes enhance a celebrity’s edgy reputation.
“While no one cheers when a Hollywood celebrity is arrested for DUI or sent to jail for significant crimes, it’s not necessarily career-ending,” he says.
Despite efforts to improve mental health support within the Korean entertainment industry, the effectiveness of these measures remains uncertain.
Mr. Benjamin asserts that meaningful change will only occur when the financial and attention incentives that drive such intrusive reporting are eliminated.
