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See - Sada Elbalad
19-02-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
Kim Sae-Ron's Death Sparks Outcry
Yara Sameh South Korean actress Kim Sae-ron's death this week has triggered an outpouring of grief and calls for changes to the way the country's celebrities are treated in the public arena and on social media, which critics say can foster a culture of harassment. The 24-year-old, who began her career as a child actor and earned acclaim for her roles in several domestic films, including the 2010 crime noir 'The Man from Nowhere,' was found dead by a friend at her home in the country's capital, Seoul, on Sunday. Her death was revealed to be a suicide. National Police Agency has said it does not suspect foul play and that Kim left no note. Once among the brightest stars on South Korea's vibrant movie and television scene, Kim struggled to find work after a 2022 drunk driving incident, for which she was later fined in court. Online posts in South Korea are notoriously harsh toward celebrities who make missteps, especially women. Kim faced constant negative coverage from news organizations that capitalized on public sentiment. Newspapers and websites criticized her whenever she was seen partying with friends, or when she complained about her lack of work and nasty comments on social media. She was even criticized for smiling while filming an independent movie last year. Following Kim's death, several of the country's major newspapers on Tuesday published editorials and opinion pieces lambasting the toxic online comments about the actor. Some invoked the 2019 suicide deaths of K-Pop singers Seol-li and Goo Hara and the 2023 death of 'Parasite' actor Lee Sun-kyun while calling for a change in the 'harsh, zero-tolerance' culture toward celebrities. The Hankook Ilbo newspaper said the country's media outlets were part of the problem, lamenting that some outlets continued to exploit Kim for clicks even after her death, using provocative headlines that highlighted her past struggles. The watchdog Citizens' Coalition for Democratic Media on Tuesday criticized news organizations for blaming social media without considering their own 'sensational and provocative reporting.' Born in 2000, Kim began her acting career at age 9, with the 2009 film 'A Brand New Life,' portraying a girl's struggles to adjust to a new life after being left at an orphanage by her father. She rose to stardom with 'The Man from Nowhere,' which was one of the biggest hits in the South Korean movie scene that year and won her a domestic acting award. She starred in various movies and TV shows before the 2022 drunk driving incident.
Saudi Gazette
19-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Saudi Gazette
'Real life Squid Game': Kim Sae-ron's death exposes Korea's celebrity culture
SEOUL — Actress Kim Sae-ron's death in an apparent suicide has renewed criticism of South Korea's entertainment industry, which churns out stars but also subjects them to immense pressure and 24, had been bombarded with negative press coverage and hate online after a drink-driving conviction in 2022. She became so unpopular, scenes featuring her were edited out of circumstances leading to her death are depressingly familiar, experts say. Some other celebrities who had their careers upended by cyberbullying also ended up taking their own Kim was laid to rest on Wednesday, analysts say they are not optimistic her death will lead to any meaningful Korea's entertainment industry is enjoying massive there are more than an estimated 220 million fans of Korean entertainment around the world – that's four times the population of South there is also an increasing spotlight on the less glamorous side of the entertainment Korea is known for its hyper-competitive culture in most spheres of life — from education to career. It has one of the highest suicide rates among developed countries. While its overall suicide rate is falling, deaths of those in their 20s are pressure is heightened in the case of celebrities. They face immense pressure to be perfect, and are subjected to the demands of obsessive "super fans" who can make or break is why even the slightest perceived misstep can be career ending."It is not enough that the celebrities be punished by the law. They become targets of relentless criticism," Korean culture critic Kim Hern-sik told the referred to K-pop artists Sulli and Goo Hara, who died by suicide in 2019 after long battles with internet trolls, even though they did not have known brushes with the had offended fans for not conforming to the K-pop mold, while an internet mob had targeted Goo Hara over her relationship with an has also become a money-making gig for some, Korean culture critic Kim Hern-sik told the BBC."YouTubers get the views, forums get the engagement, news outlets get the traffic. I don't think [Kim's death] will change the situation."There needs to be harsher criminal punishment against leaving nasty comments," he Sae-ron's father has blamed a YouTuber for her death, claiming the controversial videos they published caused her deep emotional have pointed fingers at some local media outlets, who reportedly fuelled public animosity against Kim by reporting the unverified claims."This cycle of media-driven character assassination must stop," civic group Citizens' Coalition for Democratic Media said in a statement on Jong-ho, a psychiatry professor at Yale University, likened the spate of celebrity deaths in South Korea to a real-life version of Squid Game, the South Korean Netflix blockbuster which sees the indebted fighting to the death for a huge cash prize."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," Prof Na year, the BBC reported on how "super fans" in the notorious K-pop industry try to dictate their idols' private lives — from their romantic relationships to their daily activities outside of work — and can be unforgiving when things go off is no surprise that Kim Sae-ron chose to withdraw from the public eye after her DUI conviction, for which she was fined 20 million won (£11,000) in April is worth noting however, that not all public figures are subject to the same treatment. Politicians, including opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, also have past drink-driving convictions but have been able to bounce back — polls show Lee is now the country's top presidential South Korea, it is "extremely tough" for artists to recover when they do something that puts a crack in their "idol" image, says K-pop columnist Jeff contrasts this to entertainment industries in the West, where controversies and scandals sometimes even "add a rockstar-like edge" to celebrities' reputations."While no one cheers when a Hollywood celebrity is arrested for DUI (drinking under the influence of alcohol or drugs) or sent to jail for significant crimes, it's not necessarily career-ending," he the Korean entertainment industry has made moves to address artists' mental wealth concerns, it is unclear how effective these have been. Real change can only happen when there are no more financial or attention incentives to continue with such intrusive reporting, says Benjamin. — BBC
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Real life Squid Game': Kim Sae-ron's death exposes Korea's celebrity culture
Actress Kim Sae-ron's death in an apparent suicide has renewed criticism of South Korea's entertainment industry, which churns out stars but also subjects them to immense pressure and scrutiny. Kim - who was found dead aged 24 at her home in Seoul on Sunday - had been bombarded with negative press coverage and hate online after a drink-driving conviction in 2022. Police have not provided further details about her death. Experts found the circumstances leading to it depressingly familiar. Other celebrities also ended up taking their lives after careers upended by cyberbullying. As Kim was laid to rest on Wednesday, analysts say they are not optimistic her death will lead to meaningful change. South Korea's entertainment industry is enjoying massive popularity. Today, there are more than an estimated 220 million fans of Korean entertainment around the world – that's four times the population of South Korea. But there is also increasing spotlight on the less glamorous side of the entertainment industry. South Korea is known for its hyper-competitive culture in most spheres of life - from education to careers. It has one of the highest suicide rates among developed countries. While its overall suicide rate is falling, deaths of those in their 20s are rising. This pressure is heightened in the case of celebrities. They face immense pressure to be perfect, and are subjected to the demands of obsessive "super fans" who can make or break careers. That is why even the slightest perceived misstep can be career ending. Kim Sae-ron became so unpopular, scenes featuring her were edited out of shows such as Netflix's 2023 drama Bloodhounds. "It is not enough that the celebrities be punished by the law. They become targets of relentless criticism," Korean culture critic Kim Hern-sik told the BBC. He referred to K-pop artists Sulli and Goo Hara, who died by suicide in 2019 after long battles with internet trolls, even though they did not have known brushes with the law. Sulli had offended fans for not conforming to the K-pop mould, while an internet mob had targeted Goo Hara over her relationship with an ex-boyfriend. Cyberbullying has also become a money-making gig for some, Kim Hern-sik told the BBC. "YouTubers get the views, forums get the engagement, news outlets get the traffic. I don't think [Kim's death] will change the situation. "There needs to be harsher criminal punishment against leaving nasty comments," he says. Kim Sae-ron's father has blamed a YouTuber for her death, claiming the controversial videos they published caused her deep emotional distress. Others have pointed fingers at some local media outlets, who reportedly fuelled public animosity against Kim by reporting the unverified claims. "This cycle of media-driven character assassination must stop," civic group Citizens' Coalition for Democratic Media said in a statement on Tuesday. Na Jong-ho, a psychiatry professor at Yale University, likened the spate of celebrity deaths in South Korea to a real-life version of Squid Game, the South Korean Netflix blockbuster which sees the indebted fighting to the death for a huge cash prize. "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," Prof Na added. Last year, the BBC reported on how "super fans" in the notorious K-pop industry try to dictate their idols' private lives - from their romantic relationships to their daily activities outside of work - and can be unforgiving when things go off script. It is no surprise that Kim Sae-ron chose to withdraw from the public eye after her DUI conviction, for which she was fined 20 million won (£11,000) in April 2023. It is worth noting however, that not all public figures are subject to the same treatment. Politicians, including opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, also have past drink-driving convictions but have been able to bounce back - polls show Lee is now the country's top presidential contender. In South Korea, it is "extremely tough" for artistes to recover when they do something that puts a crack in their "idol" image, says K-pop columnist Jeff Benjamin. He contrasts this to entertainment industries in the West, where controversies and scandals sometimes even "add a rockstar-like edge" to celebrities' reputations. "While no one cheers when a Hollywood celebrity is arrested for DUI [drinking under the influence of alcohol or drugs] or sent to jail for significant crimes, it's not necessarily career-ending," he says. While the Korean entertainment industry has made moves to address performers' mental wealth concerns, it is unclear how effective these have been. Real change can only happen when there is no more financial or attention incentives to continue with such intrusive reporting, says Mr Benjamin. If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story you can find information and support on the BBC Actionline website here. Additional reporting by Jake Kwon in Seoul How jealous K-pop super fans try to dictate their idols' private lives Moonbin's death renews scrutiny on pressures of K-pop
BBC News
19-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Kim Sae-ron's death exposes South Korea's celebrity culture
Actress Kim Sae-ron's death in an apparent suicide has renewed criticism of South Korea's entertainment industry, which churns out stars but also subjects them to immense pressure and scrutiny. Kim, 24, had been bombarded with negative press coverage and hate online after a drink-driving conviction in 2022. She became so unpopular, scenes featuring her were edited out of circumstances leading to her death are depressingly familiar, experts say. Some other celebrities who had their careers upended by cyberbullying also ended up taking their own lives. As Kim was laid to rest on Wednesday, analysts say they are not optimistic her death will lead to any meaningful change. South Korea's entertainment industry is enjoying massive there are more than an estimated 220 million fans of Korean entertainment around the world – that's four times the population of South there is also increasing spotlight on the less glamorous side of the entertainment industry. South Korea is known for its hyper-competitive culture in most spheres of life - from education to career. It has one of the highest suicide rates among developed countries. While its overall suicide rate is falling, deaths of those in their 20s are pressure is heightened in the case of celebrities. They face immense pressure to be perfect, and are subjected to the demands of obsessive "super fans" who can make or break careers. That is why even the slightest perceived misstep can be career ending."It is not enough that the celebrities be punished by the law. They become targets of relentless criticism," Korean culture critic Kim Hern-sik told the BBC. He referred to K-pop artists Sulli and Goo Hara, who died by suicide in 2019 after long battles with internet trolls, even though they did not have known brushes with the had offended fans for not conforming to the K-pop mould, while an internet mob had targeted Goo Hara over her relationship with an ex-boyfriend. 'A real life Squid Game' Cyberbullying has also become a money-making gig for some, Korean culture critic Kim Hern-sik told the BBC. "YouTubers get the views, forums get the engagement, news outlets get the traffic. I don't think [Kim's death] will change the situation."There needs to be harsher criminal punishment against leaving nasty comments," he says. Kim Sae-ron's father has blamed a YouTuber for her death, claiming the controversial videos they published caused her deep emotional distress. Others have pointed fingers at some local media outlets, who reportedly fuelled public animosity against Kim by reporting the unverified claims. "This cycle of media-driven character assassination must stop," civic group Citizens' Coalition for Democratic Media said in a statement on Jong-ho, a psychiatry professor at Yale University, likened the spate of celebrity deaths in South Korea to a real-life version of Squid Game, the South Korean Netflix blockbuster which sees the indebted fighting to the death for a huge cash prize. "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," Prof Na added. Last year, the BBC reported on how "super fans" in the notorious K-pop industry try to dictate their idols' private lives - from their romantic relationships to their daily activities outside of work - and can be unforgiving when things go off script. It is no surprise that Kim Sae-ron chose to withdraw from the public eye after her DUI conviction, for which she was fined 20 million won (£11,000) in April 2023. It is worth noting however, that not all public figures are subject to the same treatment. Politicians, including opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, also have past drink-driving convictions but have been able to bounce back - polls show Lee is now the country's top presidential contender. In South Korea, it is "extremely tough" for artistes to recover when they do something that puts a crack in their "idol" image, says K-pop columnist Jeff contrasts this to entertainment industries in the West, where controversies and scandals sometimes even "add a rockstar-like edge" to celebrities' reputations. "While no one cheers when a Hollywood celebrity is arrested for DUI (drinking under the influence of alcohol or drugs) or sent to jail for significant crimes, it's not necessarily career-ending," he the Korean entertainment industry has made moves to address artistes' mental wealth concerns, it is unclear how effective these have change can only happen when there is no more financial or attention incentives to continue with such intrusive reporting, says Mr you have been affected by any of the issues in this story you can find information and support on the BBC Actionline website reporting by Jake Kwon in Seoul
Los Angeles Times
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Death of South Korean actor at 24 sparks discussion about social media and internet culture
SEOUL — South Korean actor Kim Sae-ron's death this week has triggered an outpouring of grief and calls for changes to the way the country's celebrities are treated in the public arena and on social media, which critics say can foster a culture of harassment. The 24-year-old, who began her career as a child actor and earned acclaim for her roles in several domestic films, including the 2010 crime noir 'The Man from Nowhere,' was found dead by a friend at her home in the country's capital, Seoul, on Sunday. Her death was assumed to be a suicide. National Police Agency has said it does not suspect foul play and that Kim left no note. Once among the brightest stars on South Korea's vibrant movie and television scene, Kim struggled to find work after a 2022 drunk driving incident, for which she was later fined in court. Online posts in South Korea are notoriously harsh toward celebrities who make missteps, especially women, and Kim faced constant negative coverage from news organizations that capitalized on public sentiment. Newspapers and websites criticized her whenever she was seen partying with friends, or when she complained about her lack of work and nasty comments on social media. She was even criticized for smiling while filming an independent movie last year. Following Kim's death, several of the country's major newspapers on Tuesday published editorials and opinion pieces lambasting the toxic online comments about the actor. Some invoked the 2019 suicide deaths of K-Pop singers Seol-li and Goo Hara and the 2023 death of 'Parasite' actor Lee Sun-kyun while calling for a change in the 'harsh, zero-tolerance' culture toward celebrities. The Hankook Ilbo newspaper said the country's media outlets were part of the problem, lamenting that some outlets continued to exploit Kim for clicks even after her death, using provocative headlines that highlighted her past struggles. The watchdog Citizens' Coalition for Democratic Media on Tuesday criticized news organizations for blaming social media without considering their own 'sensational and provocative reporting.' Born in 2000, Kim began her acting career at age 9 with the 2009 film 'A Brand New Life,' portraying a girl's struggles to adjust to a new life after being left at an orphanage by her father. She rose to stardom with 'The Man from Nowhere,' which was one of the biggest hits in the South Korean movie scene that year and won her a domestic acting award. She starred in various movies and TV shows before the 2022 drunk driving incident. Gold Medalist, Kim's former management agency, did not immediately answer calls for comment. Tong-Hyung writes for the Associated Press.
