Photo credits: The Hollywood Reporter
Author’s note:
South Korea is known for having the highest suicide rate for teenagers, presumably due to the immense stress that they face from heavy loads of schoolwork and constant tests. However, the stress does not stop after one’s teenage years elapse. The country is plagued by overworked adults, ranging from office workers to glamorous celebrities. In fact, many Korean celebrities, whether it be due to social media hate comments or disastrous scandals, have committed suicide, shocking a plethora of fans. Actor Lee Sun-kyun from the Korean drama “Parasite” was one of these cases. After allegedly being humiliated by both the police and the press, Lee ended his own life. Though celebrities are often dehumanized, being only viewed from a screen in most cases, it must be remembered that mental health is a prevailing issue for all.
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A man lies in bed past midnight unable to think about anything except for his bleak future.
He felt there was no use denying the harsh truth any longer; after receiving a phone call mere hours ago saying yet another company had dropped him, the truth had sunk in that it was all over. He remembered the height of his career—soaring high amongst other stars, attending glamorous events, watching as the box office sales exploded on opening night, and seeing his face on store windows. He would have given anything to return to then and change the present.
His wife slept soundly beside him. His children had fallen asleep in his arms hours ago. They were now perhaps the only people who did not hate him. He had considered staying for them, of course, but what was the point if he was as depressed and heartbroken as he was now? What use would he be to them?
The man rolled over to his nightstand to take another look at the letter addressed to his wife that he had written before getting into bed. It contained everything he needed to say—he was sure. Tomorrow, she would read it. Tomorrow, he wouldn’t be around to witness her reaction. Tomorrow, he’d be dead.
Popular Korean drama actor Lee Sun-kyun was found dead in his car on December 27, 2023. Prior to his death, Lee was being investigated by the police for illegal drug usage. Other than this police investigation, Lee had been undergoing many other tribulations.
Firstly, the internal investigation was leaked by the police to the public in October of 2023, even though this is prohibited by Korean law. Thereafter, the public began expressing their anger and disappointment at Lee, referring to him as a hypocrite and a “drug” criminal. Some even began to spy on his family and other aspects of his private life. Not only were individuals going against Lee, but national broadcasts also began to do the same. Soon, Lee’s posters were discarded from shop windows, companies who had endorsed the actor began to sue him, and film studios considered not releasing his new films.
All of these events happened despite Lee testing negative in multiple drug tests as well as there being no substantial evidence against him. Attorney Kim Hee-soo argued that the police and the media joined forces to humiliate the actor until he stood at the “cliff of death.”
As French sociologist Emile Durkheim stated, every suicide is the consequence of a given society’s “collective tendencies” or “collective passions.” According to Durkheim, a “fatalistic” suicide occurred when people were subjected to such a great amount of psychic pressure that they envisioned no better future.
Similar to Durkheim’s idea, “social murder” refers to deaths resulting from social systems that pressure or push individuals to end their lives. Lee is one of countless Korean idols, actors, and public figures who have committed suicide after gaining fame. What aspect of Korean society exerts so much pressure on so many individuals?
Korean society is racked with competition and stress. From childhood, Koreans are thrust into highly competitive environments that force them to compete with peers for the highest grades and the best university. As they grow older, this pressure does not ease, but rather it simply shifts into fighting for the highest-paying job. This relentless, never-ending pressure leads to the country’s high suicide rate.
Thus, the government and the Korean public must invest effort into reforming society. For instance, I argue that Korean children should be granted more free time rather than having to attend long after-school and weekend classes. Also, mental health treatments should be covered by national insurance. The Korean government announced its intent to make the time between mandatory mental health checkups two years rather than a decade, which would also likely help those suffering from immense stress.
Only with a collective effort can such “social murders” be avoided in the future. Mental health should never be an overlooked or neglected issue.
Works Cited
Kwon, Jake, et al. “Lee Sun-kyun: A quiet farewell for Parasite star who died in the spotlight.” BBC, 28 December 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-67831513. Accessed 28 June 2024.
Lee, Eunwoo. “Lee Sun-kyun of Oscar-Winning 'Parasite' Died of Social Murder.” The Diplomat, 6 January 2024, https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/lee-sun-kyun-of-oscar-winning-parasite-died-of-social-murder/. Accessed 28 June 2024.
Lee, Jong-kyu. “[Column] Death of “Parasite” star Lee Sun-kyun poses tough questions for Korean society.” Hankyoreh, 19 January 2024, https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/english_editorials/1125157. Accessed 28 June 2024.
Rashid, Raphael. “South Korea may look perfect, but behind the facade lies a devastating suicide crisis | Raphael Rashid.” The Guardian, 29 April 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/29/south-korea-suicide-crisis-k-pop-young-people. Accessed 28 June 2024.
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