K-pop celebrity Goo Hara (구하라), a former member of girl group Kara, has reportedly attempted suicide in her house in Seoul, where she was found in the early morning of May 26. The 28-year-old singer and social media star was taken to a local hospital and has no life-threatening injuries.
Hara’s fans became worried when the star posted various ambiguous messages on her Instagram (1.3 million followers) on May 25, including one that said “goodbye.” After unsuccessful attempts to get in touch with her, Hara’s manager rushed to her home, where he found her unconscious in a smoke-filled room.
On Sunday, the topic “Goo Hara Attempts Suicide” (#具荷拉欲自杀#) became the number one trending topic on Weibo, receiving 320 million views at time of writing and thousands of comments.
“I hope she can live a good life, and step out of the spotlight, so that she can lead her life in peace,” some wrote, with others saying: “The one who needs to die is her violent ex-boyfriend, not her.”
Goo Hara made headlines in October of 2018 when she pressed charged against ex-boyfriend Choi Jung Bum for blackmailing and assaulting her.
Some Weibo commenters also mentioned the pressure faced by South-Korean female celebrities, comparing their social status to that of [Chinese] opera singers in the past. “South Korean entertainment circles are scary sometimes,” others write.
South-Korean entertainment circles have been hit by various scandals over the past years, involving drugs, prostitution and secretly recorded videos of K-pop stars having sex with women.
South-Korean popular culture, and K-pop specifically, has a major influence on Chinese pop culture. Many K-pop stars have a huge following on Chinese social media (read more about K-pop and its success in China here).
“Sister, lead a good life,” many Chinese netizens write: “Move away from the entertainment world and go on living.”
By Manya Koetse
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