Over the weekend, police confirmed that Goo Hara, a 28-year-old singer in K-Pop band Kara, was found dead in her home in Seoul.
Hara’s tragic death comes six months after her manager found her unconscious at home following an alleged suicide attempt. The singer was taken to hospital and later apologised to fans for “causing concern to everyone and causing a commotion.”
Last year, Hara took her boyfriend Choi Jong Bum to court after he allegedly assaulted and threatened her with revenge porn. According to ABC, “the case made her the subject of tabloid fodder and malicious online messages.”
Goo Hara isn’t the only K-Pop star to face public scrutiny. Last month, former f(x) member Choi Jin-ri – also known by her stage name Sulli – was found dead in her home after failing to respond to calls from her manager. Before her death, Sulli reportedly complained of “severe cyber-bullying and online misinformation.”
It’s a similar story for Jonghyun of K-Pop group SHINee, who took his life in December 2017 after struggling with depression. In a final message to his fans, Jonghyun wrote, “I’m broken inside…I’m completely alone…I wanted someone to notice but no one knew. They haven’t met me so of course they don’t know that I even exist.”
Following the deaths of Sulli, Jonghyun and now, Goo Hara, there has been an outpouring of grief and support from the K-Pop community and artists including Anne-Marie, NMB48’s Akari Yoshida, rapper Giriboy and actress Park Min Young.
The death of these bright, young stars raises serious questions about the pressures of K-Pop, including intense public backlash, lack of privacy and unrealistic workloads.
Hara’s death also shines a light on the growing issue of revenge porn, and South Korea’s ‘molka’ epidemic, which is the secret filming of women in public places such as toilets and changing rooms.
As we’ve previously mentioned, K-Pop is big business but at what cost? For any change to occur, there needs to be more of a focus on the toxic side of the industry and recognition that K-Pop stars are living, breathing humans that deserve support.
If you, or anyone you know is struggling with mental health issues, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 for support.