A report from Yonhap says that over half of those diagnosed with depression in Korea go untreated, explaining perhaps the country’s high suicide rate and the latest string of celebrity suicides here.
Although almost 80 percent of suicide cases are triggered by depression, according to experts, South Koreans tend to make light of or neglect medical treatment due to social prejudice against metal illnesses, leaving those afflicted with the disease to deal with their suicidal tendencies alone.
In the latest case, famed actress Choi Jin-sil took her life last week after Internet rumors linking her to the suicide of another actor, Ahn Jae-hwan, began circulating. An icon for generations of South Koreans, Choi was known for playing characters who faced life’s visiccitudes with strength and integrity.
Sadly, in real life Choi suffered deeply from depression, perhaps triggered by an ugly divorce in 2004 from a well-known athlete. She leaves behind two children.
It was reported after Choi’s death that at least two other suicides occurred in exactly the same manner as Choi’s, including one involving a transgender entertainer who had recently gone through an ugly breakup. In all cases the victims were found with an elastic band tied around the necks of the deceased. This after reports last month that South Korea has the highest suicide rate of all OECD member countries.
The number of people suffering from depression increased by 32.9 percent over the last five years, the report also showed, reaching 525,466 in 2007 from 395,457 in 2003. Women were more vulnerable to the illness, with 364,713 reported cases last year compared to 16,753 for men.
One could speculate on the causes of this dramatic spike in suicides. Lingering effects of colonialism and civil war. The impact of the country’s fantastically rapid modernization, with modern values clashing violently against more traditional ones. Society’s communal roots beginning to sprout individual strains.
In the case of Choi you had a woman whose TV life masked a painful existence, where her public role served to intensify the loneliness and isolation she felt inside. Indeed, it seems she was not alone.
Filed under: Daily life, Korean Society, Opinion | Tagged: Choi Jin-sil, depression, Korea, society, Suicide
Choi was also under the pressure of online criticisms and verbal abuse. It was really horrible. She was even accused of causing actor Ahn to suicide.
I agree depression is a serious issue in Korea. And with these celebrity suiciding incidents, even more people will feel the urge to suicide as well.
Something should be done to treat this deadly “disease.”
I think the high suicide rate is from stress and pressure from other Koreans. Koreans, I have found, tend to be some of the most demanding and superficial people. They expect an appearance of perfection and a person had better work there hardest to make sure the facade remains solid. God forbid someone have a medical problem.
I think famous people in Korea suffer even more, put up to ridiculously high standards by middle school girls who write on the internet about them because they are bored. (And the same ones who start stupid rumors that end up killing people). The public holds celebrities up as gods and goddesses, but they forget they are real people with real feelings.
Normal Koreans also have to deal with so much. The typical Korean life from what I’ve seen is playing around for the first 5 years being coddled and given your every desire until you are old enough for school and then it’s school and hagwons until you graduate. If you don’t do well then your teacher and mother and everyone else in the world gives up on you. Students suffer from hair loss and premature gray hairs from all the sleepless nights. Then once they go to college they can play around some of the time while taking an English test (a language that most never even use and can’t speak) that will determine if they get paid a lot or can never find a good job. Then they slave away at whatever job they can find or stay home and raise children and a husband. Then when they are old, no one takes care of them.
Korean is a tough place to live.