SULLI’S DEATH SPARKS BULLYING DEBATE
The K-pop star is suspected to have committed suicide, putting the spotlight back on the mental health of celebs
Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not a bad person.” These words by K-pop star Sulli, will haunt fans and haters alike. The 25-yearold South Korean singer-actor, who faced severe cyber bullying and was vocal about her struggle with depression, was found dead at her home on Monday afternoon, just days after World Mental Health Day. Suspected to be a suicide, Sulli’s death has brought the limelight back on mental health conditions in showbiz.
“I was at work when I got the news,” says Shriya Banerjee, a fan from Gurugram. “My heart still refuses to believe that a bright star like Sulli has passed away. She was always bullied by netizens. Even her cry for help was neglected,” she adds, referring to one of the K-pop star’s Insta lives last year, where the former member of the girl group f(x) was seen silently crying while looking at the camera. “I’m extremely sad. She died after No Bra Day... and was criticised most for her bra-less pictures… She was so bold and spoke against sexism,” says banker Sri Naga Sowmya. Another fan, Anirudh Garg says, “She was smiling and posting selfies till two days ago. Now she’s gone. Depression is a beast no one should have to tackle alone.”
Pulkit Sharma, clinical psychologist, cites the constant stress to outdo themselves as a contributing factor towards depression among celebrities. “The pressure of maintaining heir success, and the fear of
iding back into nothingness are the biggest worries of artistes. The lack of stable relationships can aggravate the situation,” he says.
Many musicians, such as Avicii and K-pop star Jonghyun also fell prey to depression. “Two years ago when Jonghyun passed away, I didn’t understand the reason. Now I understand how Sulli must have felt,” shares Harine Nagaraj, a student. “Sulli was one of the first female idolactors I got introduced to. She was so bright and sweet. Words, whether said personally or online, have a lot of impact on a person’s psych,” says Diksha Sagar, a student of Amity University, Haryana. Agrees Arushi Srivastava, a student: “It’s hard to believe Sulli is no more. I want to tell the audience to give their words a thought.”
A dissonance between their personal and professional image is another point of concern. “In showbiz, you are expected to maintain a certain standard. Artists have to carry a metaphorical albatross — that they have to be a star,” says Sharma. And failure to keep up can attract trolls, worsening any existing conditions. “It would be a good idea to take a break from social media,” he advises, adding, “If you have other anchor points in life outside of showbiz, you can distract yourself with something other than that.”