K-pop star Sulli’s sad story shows the unrelenting scrutiny Korea’s top music stars are under – and something needs to change

The sudden death of Sulli, a former member of girl group f(x), shocked lots of K-pop fans. Now, there are many clips of her past TV appearances popping up on YouTube, stretching from across her days as a child actress, f(x)’s debut performance in 2009, all the way to her latest JTBC TV programme The Night Of Hate Comments, in which she starred as an MC.

Although numerous K-pop fans grieve today, before her death Sulli faced plenty of outspoken opinions about her private life.

Her downward spiral

Sulli’s life shows how K-pop stars, especially young female idols, are harshly criticised by the public. When she was 20 years old, Sulli (who was born Choi Jin-ri) started a relationship with rapper Choiza of Korean hip-hop group Dynamic Duo – who was then 14 years older than her. According to Busan Daily News (Busan Ilbo), this aroused a big scandal because of the couple’s age gap. She was also harassed by online users because of Choiza’s stage name, a reference to the male genitalia that carried a negative connotation and created further controversy.

In the same year, Sulli paused activities as an f(x) member due to malicious comments, and finally quit the group in 2015. At the time, Korean media Top Star News reported this created further public criticism, blaming her “lack of responsibility for the team”, and for pursuing romance “while other f(x) members trained hard for performances”.

K-pop star Sulli, of girl group f(x), found dead at her home in Seoul

Even after she started focusing on acting, Sulli continued to suffer haters. When Dynamic Duo released a song titled Eat, Sex, Sleep in 2015, which describes a woman’s body, fans guessed the song was drawn from Choiza’s personal experience, and expressed disappointment that Sulli may no longer be a “pure” girl.

Sulli’s most controversial behaviour was posting selfies without wearing a bra, which appear untidy and shameful to many Koreans. Online users and reporters started to mock her as a strange girl desperately seeking public attention.

Then came this year’s notorious wardrobe malfunction, when Sulli accidentally exposed her chest during an Instagram live video on September 28. Two days later The Korea Economic Daily debated if the mishap and her braless fashion should be considered a minor offence or a public obscenity crime. The article included a lawyer’s analysis, which argued that it is difficult to measure how much a certain behaviour actually causes humiliation or excitement to others.

This comment implies that Sulli's behaviour was not a crime, but she still suffered in the court of public opinion, enduring the questions this article raised and the numerous copied images of her exposed body, even though she deleted the original video.

She confessed that all this scrutiny had haunted her for a while. In The Night Of Hate Comments – which premiered in June and has been cancelled following Sulli’s death – the star said she once only walked along small streets as she always felt like she was being watched by cameras. She also suffered from anthropophobia and panic disorder.

Instagram video reveals Sulli’s final months of mental health struggle

Who is to blame?

After her death, Kim Dong-wan, a veteran in the K-pop industry and member of K-pop group Shinhwa, said on his Instagram that entertainment agencies are responsible for K-pop idols’ severe mental diseases.

“As there is more media and entertainers nowadays, they are forced to take more burden. While young K-pop figures cannot eat and sleep well, more adults want them to look healthy and smile,” he said.

“[Young artists are] expected to be sexy, but not have sex; they’re expected to be tough, but not fight with anyone,” reads the post.

“Many K-pop idols are concerned about the mental problems they should suffer in exchange for fame and money. A lot of research and reports are available that show how many psychotropic drugs that promise ‘convenience and fast results’ also have ‘many adverse effects and consequences’. There should not be cases where drugs that promise fast and convenient solutions are offered. Big entertainment agencies should be aware that complacency on this issue will only worsen the problem.”

While there are arguments that malicious online comments should be strictly regulated, K-entertainers are still regularly victimised by the public.

Choiza faced numerous hate comments on his Instagram after sharing his grief for Sulli, before he shut down the comment function. Ku Hye-sun, a Korean actress and singer-songwriter, was also criticised after she posted a line of text – “baby Sulli, sleep well, love you” – which could have sounded like a normal goodbye.

How Sulli broke K-pop’s clean-cut conventions

Meanwhile Korean singer and actress IU and f(x) member Krystal, both known as Sulli’s close friends, were condemned online when they neglected to post any comments mourning Sulli on social media. According to Allkpop, IU’s agency Kakao M announced it would take legal action against malicious comments as public criticism intensified.

Who branded Sulli’s online haters ‘cowardly murderers’?

What needs to change?

So why hasn’t the public criticism of celebrities abated in the wake of Sulli’s death? Because Korean entertainers are forever expected to behave in certain ways, complying high societal standards of ethical conduct.

Especially, bad past behaviour – such as bullying classmates or smoking while in school – is something for which celebrities should be excused. Hyolyn, formerly of girl group Sistar, was forced to deny claims of middle school bullying this year following anonymous but widely publicised accusations.

Pop culture critic Kim Hern-sik said this kind of public wrath is harsher on female idols whose images are more sexually oriented and more scrutinised than their male contemporaries.

“Pop culture media sexually consumes female stars and, if the stars refuse to be consumed in that way, they rush to attack the celebrities,” said Kim. “Particularly, the digital mobile industry makes this trend happen faster, which can bully and torture female idols. To prevent more victims like Sulli, I think female celebrities should be united and take an action as a group.”

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If you are having suicidal thoughts, or you know someone who is, help is available. For Hong Kong, dial +852 2896 0000 for The Samaritans or +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services. In the US, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on +1 800 273 8255. For a list of other nations’ helplines, see this page.