South Korean actress Jeon Mi-Seon has been found dead in a suspected suicide. Photo / Getty Images
South Korean actress Jeon Mi-Seon has been found dead in a suspected suicide. Photo / Getty Images
WARNING: This article discusses suicide and may be distressing
South Korea's entertainment industry has been rocked by the death of yet another popular star.
Police have confirmed actress Jeon Mi-seon, who appeared in a string of films including The King's Letters and television programs such as The Moon That Embraces the Sun, has been found dead in a hotel at the age of just 48.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, police have not yet revealed the cause of death, although it is being investigated as a suicide.
"We believe Jeon Mi-seon was very depressed because there was a death in the family and her mother had been very ill," authorities said in a statement, according to Yonhap News Agency.
Her management agency, Boas Entertainment, also confirmed the news in a statement.
"We come with bad news. Actress (Jeon Mi-seon) has passed away …" the statement reads.
"We ask for your condolences, and we ask the media to refrain from reporting on unconfirmed rumours and speculations out of respect for her family, who are in shock and grief-stricken."
Jeon Mi-seon's career spanned almost three decades and over the years she has received a slew of awards and accolades.
Her death has sparked an outpouring of grief from fans and industry insiders alike, and it follows an alarming number of high-profile suicides linked to the industry over the years.
In fact, South Korea has the second highest suicide rate among OECD countries, recording a tragic 37 suicides per day in 2015.
The nation's suicide problem has been attributed to cultural pressures to succeed — pressure which is amplified for those under the spotlight, such as actors and pop stars.
It is so widespread that in 2018, the Minister of Health and Welfare, Park Neunghoo, revealed plans to roll out a national plan to prevent suicide.
South Korean pop star Kim Jonghyun, from the hugely popular boy band SHINee, took his own life at the age of 27. Photo / Getty Images
In 1996, Korean-American singer Charles Park, also known as Seo Ji-won, took his life at the age of 19.
Folk rock singer Kim Kwang-seok also suicided in the same year, at the age of 31.
In 2005, actor Lee Eun-Joo took his own life at the age of 25, followed by 26-year-old actor and singer Yuni in 2007, and actor Jeong Da-Bin in the same year.
Television star Choi Jin-sil died by suicide in 2008, followed by her brother and fellow actor Choi Jin-young in 2010.
Television actor Jang Ja-yeon took her own life in 2009 after claiming her management company had forced her to have sex with high-profile businessmen. And singer Chae Dong-Ha, a former member of band SG Wannabe, died by suicide in 2011.
In December 2017, South Korean pop star Kim Jonghyun, from the hugely popular boy band SHINee, also took his own life at the age of 27.
A note, believed to be written by Jonghyun, was posted on Instagram by his friend and fellow pop star Nine after his death which described the entertainer's declining mental health and the pressures of fame.
"I was broken from the inside. The depression that was slowly devouring me, at last consumed me … the life of fame was never meant for me. What else can I say more. Just tell me I've done well. That this is enough. That I've worked hard. Even if you can't smile don't fault me on my way," the note stated.
And last year, Jang Ja-yeon's 2009 suicide made headlines again after the #MeToo movement took off in South Korea.
Jang Ja-yeon committed suicide and her final message to her family named people she accused of sexualling abusing her. Photo / Getty Images
As a result, women's rights organisations demanded Ja-yeon's case to be reopened, with more than 200,000 people signing a petition calling for it to be reinvestigated.
The country's Justice Ministry listened, and called for prosecutors to re-examine the case.
According to Variety.com, in her seven-page suicide note, Ja-yeon named "at least 31" men who had sexually abused her, including corporate executives, newspaper representatives and directors.
When the case was first investigated, only the CEO of her agency and her manager were indicted on violence and defamation charges.
A further 10 men on Ja-yeon's list were investigated at the time, but none were charged.
In the end, the death was ruled as a suicide due to the fact the performer had been suffering from depression.
If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111.
