If the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020 marked the death of at least six celebrities from the Korean entertainment world, the news of alleged suicide of two athletes within a month's gap has caused concern over celebrity youngsters taking the extreme step.
Go Yoo Min, a professional South Korean volleyball player was found dead in her home on August 1 at 9.40 a.m. KST. She was 25 years old and the police suspect the incident as a suicide. The news was confirmed by the Gyeonggi province's Kwangju District Police Station.
The issue came to light when her former teammate tried to contact her but in vain. All her calls went unanswered. So she rushed to Yoo Min's house but still, there was no answer. Fearing the worst, she informed the cops who broke open the door only to find out that Yoo Min was already dead, her body lying inside the house.
No Clue About the Reason For Taking Extreme Step
Yoo Min had announced her retirement from professional sports in March 2020. Hyundai Hillstate was the last team she had represented in the competitions of the 2019-2020 season. After the preliminary probe, the police said that there was no trace of any break-ins or any clue of an outsider entering the house. Thus currently police also believe that it is a suicide case. However, the probe is on and the confirmed news will be given by the police after thorough investigation.
On June 26, triathlete Choi Suk Hyeon was found dead near her dormitory. She had jumped to her death after filing numerous complaints against harassment by her coach, captain, and senior members of the team. The 22-year-old triathlete had filed a complaint with the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC) against the harassment meted out to her. But there was no action initiated against the accused, prompting her to take her own life.
Currently, after the death of the triathlete, Gyeongju City Hall team's coach Kim Kyu Bong and team captain Jang Yun Jung have been banned for life from the sport and a senior member of the team is facing a 10-year ban from triathlon.
However, the reason for the death of Yoo Min is not known yet. There are no reports of harassment and it is not known if the volleyball player had any personal issues bothering her. No death note has been found and the cops are probing the case further.
Celebrity Deaths a Matter of Concern
In terms of celebrities in the entertainment industry, the death of Japanese star Haruma Miura, the 30-year-old actor is the latest one. He was found dead inside his home on June 18 and cops suspect it as a case of suicide. The 28-year-old K-pop star Yohan's death was also reported on June 16. The reason for the death of the singer is not known.
Korean entertainment industry too lost at least six stars within a span of one year. Goblin actress Go Soo Jung died in February 2020. She was said to be suffering from an illness, according to her family. However, deaths of Goo Hara, Sulli, and Kim Jong Hyun have been attributed to suicide. Meanwhile, the reason for the death of actor Cha In Ha is not known. All these deaths occurred between September 2019 and June 2020.
The incidents of celebrities from various fields who have not even reached 30 ending their own life are surely a matter of concern. With the news of the likes of Haruma Miura, Sulli and Choi Suk Hyeon facing depression due to various kinds of harassment including online bullying must be considered seriously. Measures should be taken to deal with bullying, be it physical or virtual, seriously.
