Mental health has always been a sensitive topic to address, no matter the context, but it appears that in recent years we've managed to break the stigma and barriers that have kept people silent on this issue for so long. With the help of charities, non-profit organizations and professionals in the field, the whole world has taken big strides towards normalizing mental health discussions, and K-pop stars are bringing their own contribution in this respect.
With millions of followers all around the world, K-pop idols can use their platforms and influence to address critical topics and change things for the better. So, it's very important that many of them have decided to speak about mental health at a time when these issues have turned into a modern epidemic.
Looking from the outside, K-pop celebrities seem to have everything anyone could ever wish for: they're young, talented, successful and adored by millions of fans from all corners of the world. However, this description doesn't provide the full picture of what being a K-pop star really implies. The sad truth is that a lot of K-pop artists have been leading a silent struggle with mental health issues, carefully concealed by layers of makeup and clever marketing strategies. That is until some of them decided to finally speak out about their mental health issues and the harsh realities they've had to face throughout their careers.
The (not so) hidden truth
If we peel away all of the layers of celebrity and look beyond the lights and the applause, a not-so-glamorous reality is laid in front of our eyes. The K-pop industry is one of the most competitive and unforgiving environments one can activate in, and success often comes at a very high price. Depression, anxiety, OCD, eating disorders or mental breakdowns are common for celebs in the K-pop industry, even though some choose not to speak about these issues.
The path to becoming a K-pop star usually starts in childhood or early adolescence. After years of working to develop professional dancing, singing and acting skills, and undergoing intensive training schedules that leave no room for rest, the young performers have to go through a never-ending series of auditions in order to get noticed and sign a contract that will hopefully propel them to stardom. And that's when the roller-coaster really begins.
The fact that K-pop artists are called idols gives us a clue into the rigors and demands that these young professionals have to comply with so they can uphold the perfect image they're presenting to the world. Once they've signed a contract, they have to do exactly what their management companies tell them to do. Everything from the way they look and behave to the way they train and perform has to be done according to the strict rules imposed by their companies. It's a life of hard work and extreme restrictions that not everyone can handle.
The job comes with gut-wrenching pressure as each release has to be better than the last, the clock is ticking and newcomers continue to enter the industry, making the competition even tougher. Then there's also the bullying, harassment and intimidation that takes place in the industry behind closed doors. And even though K-pop celebrities seem to love the attention they receive, living life in the public eye and having every move monitored and scrutinized by the media is anything but normal and can have serious negative consequences on their health and well-being. This goes to show that appearances can be deceiving and the artists that fans idolize are in fact regular humans that feel like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders and have to deal with all these issues on their own.
K-pop idols are opening up about their mental health struggles
Although the K-pop factory marches to the beat of its own drum and continues to be as demanding and harsh as ever, the good news is that the new generation of K-pop stars seems to be a lot more vocal when it comes to the hardships and the mental health issues they struggle with due to their celebrity status. In recent years, a number of K-pop artists have chosen to speak out and raise awareness on the topic.
S.Coups, the leader of the K-pop band SEVENTEEN, has talked extensively about his anxiety symptoms in the behind-the-scenes series Hit The Road. The star confessed that his anxiety got so bad that although he tried to push through and continue with his work commitments, at one point he had to step down and take a break from performing.
Kang Daniel, the former member of the boy group Wanna One, is no stranger to mental health issues either. His long-time battle with anxiety, depression, and panic disorders prompted him to release an entire album that focuses on his experiences with these disorders and the three-month break he took to address his health issues.
Actor and K-pop idol Bae Suzy has been in the public eye since she was 15. Her career brought her many achievements but also caused her to slip into depression, which she spoke about during the Healing Camp talk show.
Another K-pop artist who is extremely vocal about mental health issues within the industry and has been raising awareness on this topic is BTS' Suga. The rapper has talked about his struggles with depression, OCD, and social anxiety in several interviews and has also touched on the subject in his debut mixtape, Agust D.
The bottom line is that the life of K-pop artists is anything but easy and their burdens often translate into severe mental health issues. Since they are viewed as role models by millions of fans around the world, having K-pop artists open up the conversation around mental health can serve as an eye-opener for everyone. Hopefully, as more celebrities join their ranks, this will encourage those who struggle with depression, anxiety or any other mental disorder to seek help and also lead to a reform of the industry.
