Korean Pop Culture & the Facade of Fame | Horrorwood: True Crime in Tinseltown

CW: This episode contains discussions of suicide and SA.

Imagine being eleven years old and told that you have what it takes to be a star. All you have to do to achieve this success is drop out of school, move out of your parents' house, go on a strict diet, train until you pass out, learn multiple languages, maybe get plastic surgery, possibly bleach your skin, never say the wrong thing, and be, well, "perfect." Oh, and you have to do this for at least 10, 13, maybe 19 years before finding out if you'll even make it as a performer.

Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988lifeline.org

Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration: samhsa.gov

South Korea Suicide Helpline: lifeline.or.kr

Episode Sources:

“South Korea may look perfect, but behind the facade lies a devastating suicide crisis” by Raphael Rashid, The Guardian, Apr 29, 2023

“Death of ‘Parasite’ star puts spotlight on pressures facing South Korean celebrities” by Tara Subramaniam and Yoonjung Seo, CNN, Dec 29, 2023

“‘Like a giant Squid Game’: soul searching in South Korea after latest celebrity suicide” by Raphael Rashid and Justin McCurry, The Guardian, Feb 21, 2025

“BTS, Blackpink, Squid Game, kimchi … what’s the secret of South Korea’s world-conquering culture?” by Justin McCurry, The Guardian, Mar 6, 2024

“Cancel Culture, Pressure And An Ideal Image: What's Driving South Korean Celebrities To Suicide” by Hardika Gupta, NDTV, Feb 17, 2025

"Kim Sae-Ron Death: Actress's Last Instagram Post Was A Tribute To ASTRO Member Moonbin” NDTV, Feb 17, 2025

“A K-Pop Star’s Lonely Downward Spiral” by Motoko Rich and John Yoon, The New York Times, Mar 1, 2024

“I have reported on 30 Korean celebrity suicides. The blame game never changes” by Kim Dae-O, The Guardian, Jan 3, 2020