SHINee
Let's Talk About Depression Differently
In a country plagued with high suicide rates, there is still surprisingly a lack of informed awareness about mental health. Pervasive stigma surrounds depression and therapy. The former is still commonly perceived lightly as a passing mood, an exaggeration, a passing abnormality; there is little awareness about the usefulness of
EXO Star's Prejudice of Depression is a Korean Prejudice
It had been less than two weeks since Jonghyun, a member of K-pop group SHINee, died, when a popular K-pop idol came under fire for making insensitive comments about depression, the illness thought to have plagued Jonghyun’s final days. At a fan event on Dec. 30, EXO member Baekhyun
We Need to Talk About Suicide Reporting
How do we find the optimal balance between our right to information, and the risks inherent in broad dissemination of sensitive information? Around 24 hours have passed since 27-year-old Jonghyun, a member of the popular K-pop group SHINee, took his own life. It’s already a huge story, both within
Obituary: The Legacy of Jonghyun
In an interview with Esquire magazine in April, Jonghyun of K-pop boy band SHINee shared the following story: “A few years ago, I cried in front of my mother and older sister. I was super drunk…. I woke them up late at night and asked them if they were happy.
G-Dragon's "Album" is a USB: What's the Problem?
In the fifth track of his latest album, Big Bang’s leader G-Dragon raps, “Right, wrong, I don’t understand…. I’m not the problem, I’m the solution to the problem.” The 30-year-old rapper has long traversed a fine line between the so-called problems and solutions, simultaneously defining
Planting Rainforests and Donating Rice: The Fascinating World of K-pop Fandom
For approximately $35,000, you can plant 27,500 trees to help preserve the Brazilian rainforest. But this isn’t just the work of environmentalists — it’s also the work of K-pop fans. It’s a legendary story in K-pop fandom. 2012 marked the 20th debut anniversary of Seo Taiji