Year: 2021 Source: Samples. (2021). 19. SIEC No: 20210777

The suicides of the famous K-Pop idols Goo Hara, Choi Jin-ri,1 also known as Sulli, and Cha In-ha drew enormous media attention worldwide, particularly in South Korea at the end of 2019. According to a report by the WHO (World Health Organization) in 2019, the suicide rate in South Korea was the tenth highest in the world and the second highest in countries of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)—20.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2016 (see WHO 2019). Most Korean suicide victims are elderly, retired citizens, people with high financial debts, as well as students and pupils who cannot bear the pressure to perform in school and university. In the heart of Seoul, the Mapo-Bridge, also known as the suicide bridge, symbolises the high suicide rate of the country. The aforementioned numbers coincide with the high suicide rate of Korean celebrities.