Go Soo Jung's death shows that the Korean entertainment industry is failing its young idols
Rookie actress Go Soo Jung has died aged 25 from a fatal illness, it was revealed on February 12.
"A few days ago, actress Go Soo Jung bid farewell to this world and became one of the bright stars in the sky," entertainment label Story J Company told media outlets.
Her family and friends reportedly attended a private funeral held on February 9.
"We will always remember actress Go Soo Jung and her glowing smile which brightened the world. Please wish her a safe passage," Story J Company added.
Jung had made her debut in 2016 on tvN's 'Goblin' and also appeared on JTBC's 'Solomon's Perjury'.
In October 2019, another Korean actor, singer, and K-pop band f(x) member Sulli was found dead in her home. In November 2019, 28-year-old Goo Hara, a member of the band Group Kara was found dead in her home. Most recently Surprise U member Cha In-ha was found dead in his home in December.
This is not all, Girls Generation's Tiffany Young recently revealed that she used to suffer from depression when was promoting her band and actor and singer Kang Daniel took a break from all activities, including the promotion of his single 'Touchin'.
The circumstances surrounding all of this hints at how toxic the Korean Entertainment industry is for young idols. The rising popularity of K-pop idols has also increased the pressure that each of them is put under to deliver.
On one side, we have BTS, a band that rose to global popularity and today is worth $3.5 billion annually. From their successful collaborations with Halsey that includes 'Boy With Luv' and most recently 'Suga's Interlude' to winning the Best Group of the year award at the Billboard Music Awards, they have grown from strength to strength.
Korean shows such as 'Kingdom', 'Memories of Alhambra' and 'Romance is a Bonus Book' have all become popular worldwide. Then, on the other side, we have one of the biggest scandals to ever hit the Korean Entertainment industry -- the Burning Sun Scandal -- which implicated Seungri among other stars in cases of prostitution, drug trafficking, embezzlement, and sexual assault.
The more popular the bands get on the world stage, the more pressure they are put under to be perfect to suit the image that has been tailormade to suit their target audiences. As a part of VICE media's new documentary series titled 'Vice Investigates', a feature was done on the Korean pop industry which sheds light on the culture of training young boys and girls to become idols, the toxic culture of micromanaging the lives of celebrities by their talent agencies, and the tough schedules that are drawn up for idols throughout the year.
The documentary used Monsta X as an example to highlight how the decision of becoming an idol and being a successful one at that, entails consequences that are difficult to live with. What fans across the world see when they watch their favorite idols perform on stage or feel when they hear the songs, is a fantasy that has been woven with great thought by the music label and the band's talent agency.
It is made to attract young people and the resulting sense of kinship that they feel with the idols, helps the bands build a relationship with their fans that is more intimate than building a base of followers. Each band has a dedicated fan following who do not just follow their work, but also ensure it receives the attention it deserves. Monsta X has 'Monbebe'.
What does being a fan entail? From sharing songs of their favorite artists on social media to hyping up a release, their likes, and shares or used to gauge the influence that they have on the audience.
However, when the fans see the fantasy that they have built around a certain artiste break down, the resulting hatred on social media is overwhelming. Take singer Roy Kim for instance. The instant news of his involvement in the distribution of obscene photos along with Seungri and Jung Joon-young surfaced, fans were divided.
Some were heartbroken about his involvement while others lashed out at him and his family members. In fact, the hatred online rose so much that Roy Kim's father, who was a university professor had to apologize to his students for his son's crimes.
This extreme reaction to a flaw in their favorite star is also a result of the inherent culture in South Korea. Idols are not encouraged to speak out about their mental health struggles, women are expected to be docile, innocent and to an extent, even submissive while male idols are expected to look invincible.
Flaws or scandals about them are not welcome as it is seen as something that would tarnish their favorite band's image. According to a report on SBS, Tiffany Young had said, "Whenever I was in front of the camera, I felt the pressure to smile and look happy. I felt like I always had to look 'innocent' and act like a 'girl', give everyone positive energy and stuff as well. Those thoughts would suffocate me a lot."
"At one point, I felt that I really needed to talk to someone about it. So, I started going to therapy. There, I was able to learn that I was also a human being just like others that it was okay for me to express my sadness, tiredness or anger in front of the camera," she continued. "There were times when I felt extremely depressed to the point where I wanted to give up on everything. Then, my older sister would tell me things like, 'It's okay to feel that way, but know that it's going to be fine.' I was able to get back up as I thought, 'If I show the world that I can overcome these difficulties, all others will also be able to overcome their hardships, too.'"
Kang Daniel's agency KONNECT Entertainment had cited his poor health as a result of a weak immune system as well as psychological anxiety. The statement from them said, "After a detailed examination, he was diagnosed with depression and panic disorder. Following this, he has continued to focus on treatment through psychotherapy and medication. Though Kang Daniel did his best to stay grounded and not falter in a constantly changing environment despite his state, he recently expressed more severe symptoms of anxiety. Thus, we reached the conclusion that sufficient rest and stability is of the highest priority for the artist’s health and safety."
However, not all artistes were lucky to find help at the right time as Kang Daniel. Sulli was one of the most vocal idols who spoke out about her struggle with depression. The initial investigation had resulted in police officials concluding that there was no foul play involved and since then it has widely been speculated that the artiste committed suicide.
She had for a very long time been a victim of online abuse for being a feminist and for sharing details with the public about her battle with depression. Fans have since wondered if this online hate could have triggered Sulli's decision.
Goo Hara had tried to commit suicide once before in May after she had posted a "Goodbye" picture on Instagram. However, her manager who had seen the message had reached her side and she was taken to a hospital.
She had then released a statement in which she said, "I’m truly sorry for causing concern due to the recent event. I am currently recovering my health. I was feeling distressed due to various incidents that piled up."
When Goo Hara was found, the police officials had found a "pessimistic" suicide note. She received a lot of hatred online because she had deemed it important to sue her ex-boyfriend in 2018 for threatening to release explicit footage of the two of them, which was filmed without her consent. During the trial, she became the subject of lurid tabloid stories.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).