A 25 year old singer/actress Choi Jin-Ri (also known as Sulli) was found dead on the second floor of her house in Sujeong-gu, Seongnam, south of the Korean capital city, Seoul. Her time of death was reportedly roughly 4:00 p.m KST, on October 14, 2019. According to the Sangnam Police, Sulli had not been answering her calls for hours, which led her manager finding Sulli dead in her home. Police officials have confirmed the cause of death was suicide, but investigations are still on-going. 

Sulli is a popular K-pop star who debuted in a group called fx. She created hit songs such as “Hot Summer” and “Electric Shock.” Even with mass popularity, she decided to end her career as a singer in 2014, as she had been struggling with depression. Later, Sulli was featured in many acting roles. Constantly, she would receive massive hate for unreasonable reasons. Her recent Instagram live videos show her crying and stating, “I am not a bad person.” Her death sent shockwaves throughout the world and brought awareness to mental health. 

"I always adored and respected you for your boldness. All I can say is rest in peace," a fan commented on Sulli's Instagram account. 

K-pop forces many of their trainees to enter a world of intense pressure, which is linked with instability in one’s mental health. Like Sulli, artist Kim-Jonghyun ended his life in December of 2017. Kim-Jonghyun and Sulli are both in the same company “SM Entertainment.” Consequently, many fans have sparked debate on the treatment of the artists at SM. Artists under the same label have postponed their events out of respect. 

SM responded about Sulli’s death:  “We apologise for conveying such sad and unfortunate news. Sulli has left our side. We cannot believe the situation now and we are just filled with grief. For her family who is grieving after the sudden news of her passing, we earnestly request that you refrain from writing speculative articles or spreading rumours. We express our deep condolences. Sulli will always be left in our hearts.” 

by Emilie Chi