Remembering Kim Jong-Hyun
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We lost someone special
I've been a little hesitant to post about this because it's something that I spent a while brooding over, but I feel that I'm ready to talk about it now.
On December 18, Korean singer and performer Kim Jong-hyun, the lead singer of male K-pop group SHINee, committed suicide. He was 27 years old. Fans all over the world are mourning his passing.
I found out on Facebook not long after it happened, and it was honestly a shock. I'm not as into Kpop now as I used to be, but in 2009-2012 it was a fairly major part of my life and something I listened to almost exclusively. For the first time, someone whose life I had sort of idly followed was now no longer with us. I had seen SHINee's music videos dozens of times, and had even seen them perform live when they came to Australia in 2011, but now this person was gone forever.
I rediscovered Kpop music earlier this year, both through my own devices and through friends, and Jonghyun was actually one of the artists I'd begun listening to. He had since started following a solo career and had a number of albums under his own name.
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Industry gone too far?
Jonghyun left a suicide note to a friend as well as text messages to his sister, who had contacted the authorities to try and save his life, but were too late.
http://www.star2.com/entertainment/2017/12/19/jonghyun-death-note/
The letter spoke of Jonghyun being overwhelmed by fame and the pressure of being a celebrity. He described feeling lost and alone, and wondered about his time as a Korean celebrity and whether or not it was worth it.
There are numerous reasons why he may have been feeling this way. It is well-known to fans of Kpop music that the Korean music industry is a well-oiled production and promotion machine, heavily commercialized and obsessed with apperances and image. Talent is recruited at a young age and they are taken in by an entertainment agency, where they live and study, as well as practice to become performers. They practice long hours and endure physical, mental and emotional stress as they are forced to perform beyond their limits. It is a gruelling and unenviable lifestyle, and many are even encouraged to undergo plastic surgery to become better looking.
The life of an idol is not easy. They are then assigned to a group, if they made it through the many years of practice, and they are rewarded with fame, but not necessarily riches. Idols are believed to be paid very little in terms of personal income (the company considers the cost of their living as part of their salary package), and there are strict restrictions on where they can go and who they are allowed to be with. It is infamously known that idols are banned from forming relationships, as this can impact sales and revenue for the company.
It is a very sad thing that Jonghyun succumbed to the pressure of the industry, and that I hope this is a wake-up call for the Korean music industry. The spotlight is now on them to answer for their practices and for more attention to be paid to the performers who are under their care. It is unreasonable to demand so much of young people, only to throw them out if they are unable to succeed. We know the success stories, but how many are there who failed along the way?
I'll end this post by leaving one of my favorites of his songs. We can remember his legacy through his music and for all that he gave us.