Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, who earned worldwide mainstream recognition through the 2020 Oscar Award-winning movie Parasite, was found dead in his car in December of 2023.
Korean police were investigating Lee for recreational drug use of marijuana and ketamine, which is illegal in Korea. Lee claimed he was deceived into taking the drugs and being blackmailed by an escort. In addition to the drug controversy, a South Korean online community posted pictures of Lee Sun-kyun along with his Parasite co-star Cho Yeo-jeong and accused him of cheating on his wife, Jeon Hye-jin.
Regardless of whether he knew he was taking drugs, what’s clear is how shameful he felt about the scandal. Before being questioned by police, he was quoted as saying, "I sincerely apologize for causing great disappointment to many people by being involved in such an unpleasant incident. I feel sorry for my family, which is enduring such difficult pain at this moment. Once again, I sincerely apologize to everyone."
Suicide is unfortunately very common in Asian countries. South Korea has the highest per-capita suicide rate among developed countries (24.6 per 100,000 people). The stigma of shame is so great that Koreans and Asians in general may take desperate attempts even to the point of dying by suicide to alleviate the heavy emotional toll.
This can be compounded by drug use. Asian cultures, unlike Western ones, still struggle with the stigma of mental health and addiction. Addiction or having any mental health issues (i.e. anxiety, depression) is traditionally viewed as a sign of personal weakness. Consequently, you are deemed a moral failure for not being able to handle your own issues. A July 2023 study regarding the stigma of drug addiction in Korea reiterates this position. “These findings suggest that a vast majority of Korean adults hold moderate levels of stigma and discrimination toward drug addiction.” Due to the stigma, prevention is often relegated to punishment as opposed to treatment and rehabilitation.
Another contributing factor is the different Asian worldview where suicide is seen as a respectable way to restore one’s social standing not only to oneself but also to family, friends, and society at large (Matsumoto D. Unmasking Japan: Myths and Realities about the Emotions of the Japanese. Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA, 1996).
In Asia, the philosophies of Confucius are deeply embedded in many countries. It doesn’t help that according to Confucius suicide can be viewed as a cardinal value of benevolence and morality also known as ren and yi. (Joiner T.E. Why people die by suicide. Harvard University Press; Boston, MA, USA: 2005.)
Unfortunately, Lee’s suicide highlights a perfect storm of sorts when it comes to mental health in Korea: secrecy, shame, public and personal persecution regarding alleged drug use, infidelity, and possibly addiction.
If you or someone you love is contemplating suicide, seek help immediately. For help 24/7 dial 988 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. To find a therapist near you, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.
References
https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-022-1…
Jang KW, Lee HK, Park BJ, Kang HC, Lee SK, Kim CH, Nam SK, Roh D. Social Stigma and Discrimination Toward People With Drug Addiction: A National Survey in Korea. Psychiatry Investig. 2023 Jul;20(7):671-680. doi: 10.30773/pi.2023.0065. Epub 2023 Jul 24. PMID: 37525617; PMCID: PMC10397776.
Matsumoto D. Unmasking Japan: Myths and Realities about the Emotions of the Japanese. Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA, 1996.
Joiner T.E. Why people die by suicide.Harvard University Press; Boston, MA, USA: 2005
Asian Drug Use, Sex and Shame
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31.01.2024
Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, who earned worldwide mainstream recognition through the 2020 Oscar Award-winning movie Parasite, was found dead in his car in December of 2023.
Korean police were investigating Lee for recreational drug use of marijuana and ketamine, which is illegal in Korea. Lee claimed he was deceived into taking the drugs and being blackmailed by an escort. In addition to the drug controversy, a South Korean online community posted pictures of Lee Sun-kyun along with his Parasite co-star Cho Yeo-jeong and accused him of cheating on his wife, Jeon Hye-jin.
Regardless of whether he knew he was taking drugs, what’s clear is how shameful he felt about the scandal. Before being questioned by police, he was quoted as saying, "I sincerely apologize for causing great disappointment to many people by being involved in such an unpleasant incident. I feel sorry for my family, which is enduring such difficult pain at this moment. Once again, I........
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