Mental Health in the K-Pop Industry

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The importance of mental health is very gradually being embraced by the West, and while we still have a long way to go, one hopes that it will continue to grow in importance within our minds and societies. No longer should it be considered weak to suffer with ill mental health, just as it is not weak to suffer with ill physical health.

It’s sad to see mental health fall by the wayside even in this day and age, but it so often does. The suicide of SHINee’s leader Johnhyun in December 2017 seemed to shake the K-Pop world to its very core. Jonghyun’s struggle with depression ended in the worst possible way, but at the very least, the shock seemed to mobilise many to action within the South Korean entertainment industry.

It is no secret that being a K-Pop idol can be very stressful. There are years of intensive training and studying before you debut and non-stop schedules after you do. Most of the idols work through the night to points of exhaustion. Put on top of all this the extremely competitive market within the K-Pop industry and you have a plethora of stressors that would all take their toll.

Despite this, is has been unusual in the past for Korean celebrities to talk about their mental health. This is, of course, a wider cultural issue as well - just as it is in the UK. The typical British mantra of “stiff upper lip” has perhaps perpetuated our reluctance to discuss when we find things difficult. South Korea is similar in this as a culture that prides itself on its resilience and will to improve – how many times have you heard a K-Pop idol utter the words “I’ll try harder” or “I’ll do better”?

A few snippets of Korean celebrities’ struggles have seeped through into public consciousness though. Back in 2013, g.o.d member Son Ho Young attempted to take his own life after his girlfriend took her own. He spoke a year later how he had begun to feel as though: “There was no one around me. There was no on to hold me”  (source) before he made the attempt.

As aforementioned though, it seems like openness towards mental struggles is becoming more commonplace within this industry. This is especially surprising when you consider the K-Pop preoccupation with perfection and portraying fantasy levels of beauty and goodness.

BTS members RM and Suga are well known for broaching the subject of mental health issues within their lyrics. Block B’s Park Kyung spoke to the BBC last year about the strain that can often be felt by idols who are pressured to keep up this flawless image, thus being unable to fully express themselves. There was also Suicide Prevention Concert held last year, which was started by comedian and singer Lee Dong Woo, who became blind due to a disease of his retina. His brave sharing of his own depression suffered after the diagnosis will undoubtedly let others know they are not alone. His heartwarming words about his reasons for creating the concert were very poignant:

“…after [I was diagnosed with] a visual disability, I only cried on my knees every day. Those who listen to my story quietly and sympathized with me saved my life.” - (source)

It’s a terrible shame that the suicide of an idol was what I took in order to propel this issue into the forefront of public consciousness and for people to truly realise the importance of sharing our problems and getting help. Even so, this change is another part of Jonghyun’s legacy that will hopefully live on forever.