Kim Sae-ron’s Death Sparks Global Discussion on K-Entertainment Pressure
Feb 18, 2025
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Leading foreign media, including Reuters and AFP, CNN in the U.S., and the New York Times (NYT), quoted Korean media reports from the 16th to the 17th (local time) to report the death of Kim Sae-ron. Foreign media, in particular, detailed Kim Sae-ron's history of having to stop his activities amid public criticism after the drunk driving incident, along with the fact that he was a promising actor who stood out at an early age.
Kim Sae-ron was invited to the Cannes International Film Festival as the youngest through the 2009 film 『Traveler』, and later walked the red carpet in Cannes again with 『Doheeya』. Along with this, he was recognized for his acting skills and star quality by performing impressive performances in works such as 'Mr.', 'Neighbor', and 'Neighbor'. The Hound Dogs, which was recently released through Netflix, also attracted attention among overseas viewers and became an opportunity to make their name known.
However, after the DUI accident in 2022, Kim Saeron's career has faltered dramatically. At that time, Kim Sae-ron ran away after hitting a guardrail and a street tree in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and blood collection tests revealed that the blood alcohol level was 0.2%, which is equivalent to the level of license cancellation. He was dropped from the SBS drama 'Trolley', which was cast due to the incident, and much of his appearance was also edited on Netflix 'Hunt Dogs'. Since then, he has been suspended from entertainment activities since then.
Foreign media focused on this situation and pointed out that Kim Sae-ron had to endure extreme criticism and pressure in the process of trying to make a comeback. Reuters reported that "Kim Saeron was one of the most promising actresses in Korea, but her career took a severe toll after the DUI incident."," he said. AFP also "Kim Sae-ron was highly anticipated as a versatile actor, but he had great difficulty taking on a new production after the incident in 2022." he analyzed.
CNN and the New York Times viewed the incident as a structural problem in the Korean entertainment industry, not just an individual tragedy. The New York Times reported that `Although the Korean entertainment industry is booming, the pressure on the stars is also severe.' `In an environment where public expectations and criticism are extremely mixed, many stars feel mental burden.' CNN also said, `A series of tragic news by K-pop and K-drama stars is once again bringing to mind the mental health problems of the Korean entertainment industry" he analyzed.
At the same time, CNN pointed out the structural problems of the entertainment industry, referring to examples of stars who died earlier, including Sulli, Jonghyun, and Moonbin. The media reported that `K-entertainment is an environment in which competition is fierce and public attention is concentrated,' adding that `the atmosphere demanding perfection in appearance and behavior puts a serious burden on stars.'," he added.
It was also mentioned that malicious comments and criticism from public opinion were a big burden in the process of Kim Sae-ron's efforts to make a comeback. In fact, Kim Sae-ron has been preparing to return by intermittently reporting his recent status through SNS until recently. In May last year, he was cast in the play `Dongchimi' but dropped out in a day for health reasons. Afterwards, he confirmed his appearance in the movie 'Guitar Man' and expressed his willingness to return, but the work became a posthumous work.
Fans are suggesting that the criticism against Kim Sae-ron was too harsh. In the online community "It was clearly wrong, but the atmosphere that made it impossible to make a comeback itself was too harsh." is receiving a series of responses. Fans of the DC Inside Women's Celebrity Gallery claimed in a statement that `Kim Sae-ron acknowledged and reflected on her mistakes and tried to get back on her feet, but the criticism and neglect she had to deal with in the process was beyond her human limits.'
Meanwhile, Kim Sae-ron's mortuary was set up at the funeral hall of Asan Medical Center in Seoul, and the coffin will be borne at 6:20 a.m. on the 19th.
mj.cho@sportschosun.com
