Sensitive Kpop idols and mental health issues. (1 Viewer)

[philosophiKally]

Trigger Warning: Mentions of Anxiety/Mental Health Issues and Suicide.

Hello luvs,

Today I wanted to talk to you guys, and see your opinions on this topic.

It is no secret that some kpop idols tend to suffer from mental health issues. They work in an industry that is ever demanding, they are required to uphold certain standards not only by their companies, but by fans as well. Fortunately, South Korea is becoming more aware of mental health issues bit by bit (which unfortunately, it took certain extreme measures for them to acknowledge this as an actual issue). As we all know, some kpop idols tend to suffer from anxiety, which causes them to have to take a hiatus, and return when they are comfortable enough.

However... some idols have not had the luxury of doing so, as it resulted in them sadly taking their own lives as we have seen over the years. (I know these kind of conversations can be uncomfortable, but we NEED to have them as we are part of a community and this includes pointing out the problems that are present.)

It leads me to believe that these idols deserve more than just a "break." There needs to be a more in-depth evaluation of what causes these mental health issues in the first place.

Like... is the problem really "fixed?"

In my opinion, aspects that contribute to mental issues within kpop idols (that is not spoken about enough), are aspects such as Social Media, Unrealistic Standards, Toxic Stan Culture and so much more. (I plan to tackle these issues on my Youtube channel @philosophiKally. If you guys are interested in listening to my commentary on social issues within kpop, you can check out my channel here: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCxVpkOkhB72YoQypIXtYWIQ)

This leads me to my question(s).

Do you guys think that the kpop industry (korean entertainment industry in general) really takes mental health as seriously as it should? Do you think a simple hiatus is enough for idols to get better? Is the kpop industry (and South Korea in general) explicitly open enough on topics such as mental health?

Tell me what you guys think. It is important for us to talk about issues such as this one, as it all contributes to the well-being of our idols.

Stay gucci luvs :)

 

[Mayday]

It's a well known fact that companies don't see their idols as humans. They're simply money making machines. They only give them breaks because the idol will be unable to attract attention if they are unable to perform or seem to be low energy. The industry definitely needs to work on mental health more.

It makes no sense that people take years of therapy to reduce their symptoms of their disorder but idols only take about 6 months. They definitely need longer.

 

[mysteric]

external factors def can make mental health issues more prevalent, but it's pretty much impossible for it to disappear, much less in such a cut throat environment
being more open to having conversations about the topic can help, as well as them taking the issue more seriously, but a good system will never be enough to completely get rid of the issue—nothing will

 

[Wingfrost]

As Mayday kind of mentioned, companies just want money and they get all their money from idols, so overworking them is no surprise as Kpop idols are literal money making machines in the companies eyes. That’s why I’ve always personally believed that there is no ‘good’ company since they all put their artists last. I think to help with idols and their mental health is be aware that these people do indeed see posts, articles, tweets, etc about them and that can have a negative impact on anyone, we need to respect their privacy, don’t be so demanding (we’re their fans we’re supposed to support them through encouragement, not demand them to do this or that, they’re not puppets), let them live their lives. As for if taking just a hiatus will help an idol with their anxiety or depression I don’t think it does. I mean of course it can help to take some weight off that person’s shoulders but depending on exactly what’s wrong most mental health issues is something people will struggle with for most of their lives, they’ll have good days and bad days.

I think there have been small improvements over the years but I personally feel like there’s much more in the industry that needs improvement and I hope it will be sooner than later.

It helps if idols themselves talk about these subjects and I hope more will do so in the future (not just within their songs).
I can’t find the exact clip but there was a time where Sanha (Astro) was on a variety show and the MC’s were talking about mental health as if it was something stupid and easy to deal with and Sanha politely jumped in the conversation and talked about his own struggle with depression in the past. Those are the kind of things that need to be brought up by idols.

 

[Mayday]

external factors def can make mental health issues more prevalent, but it's pretty much impossible for it to disappear, much less in such a cut throat environment
being more open to having conversations about the topic can help, as well as them taking the issue more seriously, but a good system will never be enough to completely get rid of the issue—nothing will

Yeah, unfortunately disorders are permanent. Ofc the symptoms can go away but the disorder itself will most likely never.
However, a positive environment can definitely help with reducing the symptoms of mental disorder's and that's pretty difficult for idols to have in this industry.

 

[philosophiKally]

It's a well known fact that companies don't see their idols as humans. They're simply money making machines. They only give them breaks because the idol will be unable to attract attention if they are unable to perform or seem to be low energy. The industry definitely needs to work on mental health more.

It makes no sense that people take years of therapy to reduce their symptoms of their disorder but idols only take about 6 months. They definitely need longer.

I agree as well. It is only so much a person can take before they reach their breaking point, let alone an idol. There definitely needs to be more awareness of mental health within the industry.

 

[philosophiKally]

external factors def can make mental health issues more prevalent, but it's pretty much impossible for it to disappear, much less in such a cut throat environment
being more open to having conversations about the topic can help, as well as them taking the issue more seriously, but a good system will never be enough to completely get rid of the issue—nothing will

Unfortunately the issue will never fully go away indeed, as so many factors contribute to this, and in a world where everything is moving so fast, it would be almost impossible to tackle all of these factors, let alone fix them. I believe however, if South Korea impliments a system that raises even more awareness and acknowledgement, it can at least negate and decrease the suicide rate.... especially among korean entertainers. Some kind of change needs to be made.

 

[philosophiKally]

As Mayday kind of mentioned, companies just want money and they get all their money from idols, so overworking them is no surprise as Kpop idols are literal money making machines in the companies eyes. That’s why I’ve always personally believed that there is no ‘good’ company since they all put their artists last. I think to help with idols and their mental health is be aware that these people do indeed see posts, articles, tweets, etc about them and that can have a negative impact on anyone, we need to respect their privacy, don’t be so demanding (we’re their fans we’re supposed to support them through encouragement, not demand them to do this or that, they’re not puppets), let them live their lives. As for if taking just a hiatus will help an idol with their anxiety or depression I don’t think it does. I mean of course it can help to take some weight off that person’s shoulders but depending on exactly what’s wrong most mental health issues is something people will struggle with for most of their lives, they’ll have good days and bad days.

I think there have been small improvements over the years but I personally feel like there’s much more in the industry that needs improvement and I hope it will be sooner than later.

It helps if idols themselves talk about these subjects and I hope more will do so in the future (not just within their songs).
I can’t find the exact clip but there was a time where Sanha (Astro) was on a variety show and the MC’s were talking about mental health as if it was something stupid and easy to deal with and Sanha politely jumped in the conversation and talked about his own struggle with depression in the past. Those are the kind of things that need to be brought up by idols.

I completely agree luv. The stigma attached to mental health in South Korea needs to stop. It's like these people think idols (and humans in general), are robots. I understand in the older generation, they probably didn't see that as an issue due to the country being extremely conservative, but this is a new generation. We are in the age of knowledge.

I believe idols should have the freedom of speaking about these topics openly. It is real. Unfortunately, multiple idols have taken their lives because of this, and I don't wanna even imagine what some idols might be going through right now.... South Korea needs to wake up and see we aren't in the 1800s anymore. There needs to be more awareness of this phenoma indeed.