Today, one of my favorite korean celebrities commited suicide. His name is Park Yong Ha. He was an exeptional actor and singer. It is a shame to see him leave this world at a young age of 32. Celebrity suicide rates in Korea has risen over the years. Not just him, but 4 celebrities commited suicide last least year, alone. From this, you can configure that fame and fortune can't buy happiness. Chinadaily says,"South Korea's suicide rate has more than doubled in the past decade, from 11.8 per 100,000 people in 1995 to 26.1 per 100,000 in 2005, and on average 38 people a day take their own lives, official records show." I think a lot of the reason why people end up committing suicide in Korea is because depression, eating disorders, and things like that, aren't broadly categorized among the public as issues requiring specialized attention. As a result, there isn't much public sympathy or support to be expected in such situations. Also, "face" is a big thing, so when you have people saying vile things about you on the internet and you have no way of fighting back, I'm sure it begins to take its toll. There are a lot of things about fame that American celebrities just assume they'll have to put up with, but which Korean celebrities find unendurable for a variety of cultural reasons. I hope one day that Korea will build a better system that will help the people who are seeking help. For Yong Ha, he thought death would bring happiness and no matter if this was a right or wrong decision may he rest in peace. And may the legend of Park Yong Ha stay in our hearts forever.
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