I’m going to say this – this young woman was taken too early from life because of the words of thousands and tens of thousands of K-netizens piled onto whatever emotional and mental demons she was battling. SM Entertainment‘s most tabloid targeted idol-actress Sulli (Choi Jin Ri) was found dead in the wee morning hours of October 14th. Her manager last spoke to her around 6 pm on October 13th and when she did not respond further went with the police to her apartment around 3:30 am where they discovered Sulli already deceased. The official report is suicide and for a 25-year old girl to just take her own life there must have been so much weighing her down. Even if she were as wild, crazy, and weird as K-netizens loved to rag on her for, she was ultimately just someone trying to be herself which happened to be in the public eye hence she got so much flack. Rest in peace, and know that there will never be weird articles written about you anymore where people who don’t know you spend hours criticizing your choices.
Oh Nooooiii, what’s wrong with k-ent, she is so young, so fresh and pretty. She looks beautiful in hotel de Luna, .
Seriously how low human beings can still fall….
Extremely sad news to hear. May she Rest In Peace.
R.I.P You sweet, dear girl. It’s unimaginable how she received hate for the smallest things like pushing the envelope. It’s such a shame she’s gone.
I feel angry, how many more victims that are enough to feed those hungry tabloids and k – net bullies. Karma has it, if you don’t have any nice to say, it’s better not to say anything at all.
🙁 this is so sad. I remember that even here on this blog, there were people who were pushing the envelope with their ungraceful comments here when there were news on her. People need to mind their words.
This happens way too much in the business in South Korea.Something is terribly wrong when this now happens on a regular basis and the cries for help seem to be going unheard.Take a good look at yourself as a society and protect your people for goodness sake you can do better as a people. May she rest in peace and God bless her.
Honestly I’m not surprised with this news as I knew this would happen someday. This poor girl was getting such harsh criticism and flak for being who she was and whatever she was doing. EIP Sulli.. Run freely.
A girl whose parents were divorced so soon, who entered SM only at age 10, who debuted only when she was 11, who was considered top visual of her generation and got too much positive and negative attention for it, who suffered from depression for quiet long time, who was acting quiet disoriented for quiet a while, who dated a much older man and also got hate for it, who posted crying pics on her ig — there were so many red flags but unfortunately nobody cared.
She had no family support, her agency didn’t look for counseling, her ‘friends’ didn’t share her burden. Even with too much fame and money you are truly alone in entertainment industry. Seems like K-ent is one of the most s****y industry in the world with all their toxic ‘image’ and ‘fan’ culture.
She is gone so we can’t do anything for her but let’s save them who are still with us.
I hope soemone looks ,for Taeyeon. She has been looking lost for quiet a while. It’s even more worrisome that she was friends with Lee Jong Hyun as well as Sulli both of whom chose to end it instead of enduring.
His name is (was) Kim Jong Hyun, Not Lee Jong Hyun. I hope you respect the name of the past person. I’m just saying.
@koorie It was a typo. I didn’t mean to disrespect anybody.
Agree Koorie. I hope this situation makes us all mindful to not judge and be so condemning on others.
Oops meant this on Abc thread.
@Dear, I understand your pain but saying that she has no support is cruel to her family, friends and yes, her agency too. It is clear that SM has been supporting her career through ups and downs. Sulli said herself SM is like a family to her. Her brother said on TV he was proud of her. She has friends on her side, like IU, Heechul, Taeyeon. Those people adored her will suffer the most. We, outsiders will never understand.
But there are pains too deep and complicated to understand. Love is not enough for Sulli to stay. I don’t know. Jonghyun understood he had been always loved, but he still chose to leave.
I hope that people around Sulli will stay strong.
@Linh – Thanks for your words. Saying she received no support is quite disrespectful to her family and friends. None of us know what went on behind the public eye. I’d like to think that her friends were there for her as much as friends can be, really, however, friends cannot fight those personal demons of ours, they can only keep us company while we keep our demons at bay for a while. Ultimately, only counseling (psych or otherwise), a deep spiritual commitment to one’s faith, or removing oneself completely from the public eye by a life-style change may be enough to help a depressed person fight those demons and win. May her soul rest in peace.
I’m curious because I know that there are certain idols and stars who have been open about mental health issues and even like Jonghyun who had received counseling but are anti-depressant medications not legal in Korea? Sometimes you can have a strong foundation of family and friends and even counseling but it is not enough.
I’ve seen people who need medication to get them through tough periods, divorce and widowhood as well as people who seemed to have a chemical imbalance. The celebrity lifestyle in Korea is brutal but even if Sulli had been a kindergarten teacher, she would have had the underlying issues from the sound of it. I first saw her in To The Beautiful You and didn’t even know she was an idol. It’s a crying shame.
@linh Actually I’ve noticed that Sulli had been hanging out with weird people whom she called ‘friends’ for quiet a while. Seems like she was not following a very healthy lifestyle. I always thought her condition was rather alarming.
I also have some real life friends who acted almost like Sulli due to depression but counseling and adoption of healthy lifestyle did miracles for them.
I know SM didn’t threw her away even after her several ‘scandals’. But still did anybody seriously try to ‘fix’ her? It was like she had been left to her oen devices.
If it was not for using her image for commercial purpose then why did SM let her participate in a show where she was supposed to laugh at hate comments directed at her. I mean her agency, friends or well wishers knew she was depressed then why did they thought it was OK for her to go through such extent of mental pressure.
@Kat antidepressents alone are not enough….also same drug does not universally work for everyone and it takes a while to find what is right for you. Successful patients go through combination of counselling, drugs, sometimes brain wave therapies, excercise regiments etc. Even then it is sometimes a lifelong battle. I just hope industry learns from this. There’s Mina of Twice who gets shredded apart for her anxiety and Lee Yoo Young whose agency flat out denied her depression even after her troubling instagram post. The stigma about mental health is huge in SK.
Yes, I am absolutely aware that a multi-pronged approach is best but are meds even on the table in Korea? By this I mean are they legal? I am of a certain age where I have seen so many people struggle and many did get benefit from meds and always therapy as well. Getting the dosage right is key as you said. Oh, and that actress and the whole “nevermind” about her sounding suicidal was horrible.
So Korea, take a long look as to why articles are being written that the birth rate is so low and unless it changes, So Korea will be in serious jeopardy to sustain itself. Why are Korean women choosing not to bear children? Could the high suicide rate have any relationship to the unrealistic demands being placed upon its citizens and the denials surrounding the diagnosing and the treatment of mental illness, particularly depression?
The answers aren’t always so simple. S. Korea has deep society issues with rooted misogyny and impossible standards placed on young female celebrities. She has been attacked mercilessly for being herself because she dared do things her way and NOT aligning to their expectations. RIP Jin-ri and may you be happy and free to be yourself without cares or worries.
Everyone should take a hard look at themselves first as to whether they wrote any spiteful words about this girl prior to her suicide. I clearly remember Ms Koala writing something judgemental about this girl just like her previous post about GHS. Are you all happy now? The whole idol entertainment world in SK needs to be called out. Sulli clearly needed mental health help but never got it. So humane.
@Abc Please don’t bring GHS into this at such a sad painful time.
I agree. Most of the articles that appear on this blog are click bait /top treading headlines from other sites. These articles have demeaning/ hateful comments in the comments section. I am not sure what happened to the koala blog that I used to love when we actually talked about tv shows. I hope this can be a time of self reflection for everyone.
yes. I still remember Ms Koala’s interesting and insightful kdrama reviews in the past. Those are now gone… Some recent articles are intended to be click baits and tbh me too fall into the trap. Sigh.
I can’t believe it. I’m in shock and I’m hurting the news is too tragic. Too sad.
Be nice to GHS from now on. Some of you posted harsh comments on her. You don’t know how hard it is for her.
@Hibf Please respect the tributes and condolences to Sulli. GHS post is below please pay a visit there.
Please respect this post. Do not bring unnecessary person who has nothing to do with Sulli into discussion. Sulli never hurts anyone. While GHS wants her ex to be “destroyed” (in her exact words). I wonder who is the harsh one. Talking about “harsh comments”? GHS is the pro. I hope you examine your post, be nice and retrieve it!
Stop with your comments on people you don’t know. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Her acting up is a form of cry for help too. If she’s found dead next, you don’t want to be part of the blood on the hands that killed her. You said to be nice but every line you wrote, you have like everyone else passed your judgement already on her.
@Lydia – YOU STOP with your comments on people you don’t know!! You are no different from the others. There is NO NEED to bring GHS into this article. Whether it is of good intention or not. You do not go to someone’s funeral to mourn for the others, do you?
@candycane at least im reflecting are you. And you are criticising me for asking you to stop judging people. So you dont like it when the tables are turned on you I guess. Then dont act so special. Ypur hypocrisy is appalling!!!!
@Lydia – when did I ever act “so special”? I never mean to. But I cannot stop you perceiving me this way. Your fanfare for me is too much to take. I want to feel flattered but I would much prefer you leave me alone if you don’t like what I write. You do not need to speak up for other people unless you are one of those who keeps changing usernames. And Oh, I can tell you have a few accounts but unfortunately you forget to change your name this time @Hibf. LOL.
We should behave too ! There are a lot of comments that we post here which are harsh too. i’m not blind to ignore ” our hypocrisy”. So RIP , poor soul …
You just nailed it. Too many hypocrisy here. See some readers here who have double standard and cherry picking with their comments. We are no better than those people we criticized.
@cahill and @marcia Can you not please. Go and look for past Sulli KP posts and highlight who is being hypocritical and name them back here if you want to be all self righteous.
@Gingercrush, i wasn’t speaking especially about Sully , i don’t know much about her. I was refering to the fact that sometimes our comments are hurtful too. We are not little angels. I don’t claim to be better than you or others. . Don’t words can do more harm than guns? We tend to forget that. That’s all ! No offence.
@Ginger Crunch
Why are you so defensive and on attack mode? Did I mention your name on my post for you to get pissed over my comment? I stand what I wrote and if you feel offended, then that’s too bad.
@Marcia- If you say so yeah I guess it is too bad.
Very sad news. For a young woman whose career and future depends on being popular and liked by others, criticism and hate from netizens can be unbearable. If she was also a victim of depression, things must have been very tough for her. Rest in peace now.
RIP Sulli. May you be free of worries from now on.
Now I wonder who will be the next targeted celebrity :/ My hopes and prayers go out to that person, hoping he/she will be mentally strong enough.
SM as a big entertainment agency scouting talent all over east Asia could definitely do much much more to help their idols with their mental health.
These idols were chosen at a very young age and put within their peers. Depending on an individual, it can be difficult to have true friends in the entertainment world, competition/jealousy can be an issue.
From what I’m aware these idols are put through a gruelling training, do they have sufficient time off with their family to enjoy their childhood?
Once they enter adulthood there is no turning back, reporters won’t care about their welfare because they are earning their money writing about you – good or bad.
Then, there is the worst to come. Fan wars and social media. The horrific things they write can shocking. Social media such as FB and IG can do much more too to help people with mental health.
Sulli had been disturbed since 2014-ish. With all her cryptic posts, people were bashing her. It really saddened me so much. She was such an adorable girl. I remember I get really excited whenever she guested on running man. Huhuhuhu. Rest well Sulli! I know you are happy now. ????
Sulli is Sulli, she was honest, she lived her life on her own terms minding her own business and freely being herself and she was criticized for that. It’s sad because I always saw her as the very authentically rare space for feminism in Kpop.
The other person named several times by others is completely different. She puts her private life on a public page on social media to serve her own purpose and recklessly attaches other women to her drama. Two completely different cases
I have nothing to reply here accept read the comnents below which is a direct response to what you just said in the hope you nay have a better understanding and more empathy toward mental illness and you now regreat this comment. Lets hope you get it now.
You responding to me IS having something to say. I read the comment and while I agree with its intention it allows people to weaponize mental illness. I and I’m sure almost every other human being have suffered from mental illness at some point In their lives. At no point did I go on social media to falsely accuse people of wrong doing. I empathize even with people suffering from mental illness. I listen, I support and help with whatever I can. What I will not do is allow them to use the fact that they have a mental illness to hurt others.
Using that logic is the same as saying people who posted hate comments on Sulli’s page can be excused if they suffer from mental illness.
Treat other people how you would like to be treated plain and simple
@lololo I’ve seen Lee Santa using ‘mental illness’ for garnering public sympathy.
A good time to go and read Justin Bieber’s post about his battle with depression. Its not always all sunshine and rainbows if you are famous. I think his post accurately describes what happens when you are thrown into limelight at a very young age and don’t transition into adulthood like the rest of the world. In case of Sulli, add constantly being bullied online and being torn to pieces over every single choices she made and you get a recipe for disaster in the making. I won’t comment on how much help she had or did not have as those are private details but whatever help she was getting at the end was not enough. She was 25, younger than I am and she was talented as an entertainer and has been working since she was 10, I can’t imagine that. People need to take learn to be more accepting of others, learn to have empathy and understanding. Also, mental health is just as much important as your physical health so reach out if you feel depressed. There is no shame in doing so.
Exactly. And those cyber bullying on JB and his wife are just too much as well. It’s very sad to little huminity left
For those that say Sulli and Gu Hye Sun deserve different responses from netizens for their different behavior, just remember that one is dead and if the other were to commit suicide no one will think she deserved the unending commentary that led to it. It’s only because when a person is alive that people feel freedom to say anything, but when it leads to a negative consequence then people wish they could take it back.
The issue is mental health and not behavior. Both needs and needed help more than critique.
Agreed! We should treat each other as if they were us or someone we know in our life that we genuinely care about!
Agree. The hypocrisy is real. Especially passing judgement on facts to be confirmed, people whom they dont even know. Knetz inetz what’s the difference? I take a position of self reflection today as well…sigh
I strongly agree. They need our prayers and consolation. Rest in Peace SULLI!
Very truee, GHS can be the next sulli. What she need is therapy not hate comments.
For sulli rest in peace. I hate how her article always trended in naver with all the negative comments. She’s just 25 Y.O.
No one from what I have read has wished GHS to be hurt. You cannot hide your actions behind mental health. Sulli from what we as a public know didn’t use her platform to hurt anyone. Many people suffer from mental health in the world some more than others. Should people be held responsible for what they post and how they treat other human beings online? Ofcourse.
That includes GHS herself as a bully whose current intent is to destroy someone also suffering from a mental illness while fully knowing of that mental illness but refuses to see it as her problem. She goes as far as to post inappropriate photos to create a false narrative as a public figure knowing fully well that had she succeeded netizens would have ruthlessly attacked his character.
No one deserves to be placed in the situation Sulli was put into. But it’s not fair to compare the two. Sulli minded her own business and posted things about herself without any intent to hurt anyone. People attacked her for simply breathing.
GHS intentionally shares information of someone’s private life and leaves the option for people to comment on. Why would she do that unless if she was expecting for people to respond with anger towards that specific person?
She doesn’t deserve hate comments Ofcourse but neither does the one person she has spent months smearing.
I for one will use this opportunity to watch my words and comments online. I suggest everyone including GHS to do the same.
Yes, we all should pay attention to what we say. Sulli was definitely a victim of cyberbullying. As for GHS, well let’s just say that divorce isn’t just the fault of one person… so enough of that “bullying” as well. Just like Sulli, she is also an unusual celebrity…
Koala allows a lot of below the belt and malicious post here. Netizenbuzz and this blog is a toxic website that use celebrities for clicks.
So sad to die alone. Her management family shouldn’t have let her live alone.she should live with Someone close to her..
Ppl only realize when it’s already too late. They’ll feel remorseful for a day or two and after that they’re gonna start looking for another person to hate.
I still remember seeing Sulli for the first time in f(x) debut MV “Lachata”, how charismatic and happy she seemed to be back then. I’m sad to hear that she didn’t manage to fight and win this battle but at least she tried. It especially saddens me that she did call out for love, in an interview that she had that she hoped that the media and people would love her more but people still didn’t treasure her. RIP Sulli