5 K-pop idols who opened up about their mental struggles

K-pop idols often go through a lot in the course of their careers. Constant media attention, pressure to perform, extreme diets, and online hate are just some of the by-products of being a celebrity with global influence.

All this might take a toll on their mental health, causing lasting issues such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. Navigating life through these issues can be difficult and overwhelming.

Instead of pushing their struggles under the rug, some K-pop idols have spoken up about their mental health and opened up deeper conversations about the impact of certain practices in the industry.

Trigger warning: This article contains descriptions of mental health disorders, eating disorders, and suicide.

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BTS' SUGA, IU, and 3 other K-pop idols who opened up about their mental health

Despite it being a sensitive topic within the industry, a number of artists have begun opening up about their mental health struggles during interviews, through their music or on their social media handles. Needless to say, while fans appreciate their idols' honesty, they are also supportive when they open up.

From SEVENTEEN's S.Coups to SHINee's Jonghyun, here are five idols from the K-pop industry who did not shy away from speaking about their issues.

1) SEVENTEEN's S.Coups

All K-pop idols are stressed due to audience expectations, but none more so than the leaders of the groups. SEVENTEEN's S.Coups had to take a hiatus from group activities due to his anxiety when his symptoms did not let him participate in the ODE TO YOU world tour.

Speaking about his emotions in a behind-the-scenes series titled HIT THE ROAD, the leader of the group said that he tried to push through, but eventually decided to take a break. Performing brought him happiness, he elaborated, and he did not want this to change because of his mental health.

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2) Miss A's Bae Suzy

Having been in the public eye since Miss A's debut in 2010, Bae Suzy was thrust into stardoom at the tender age of 15. While being a K-pop idol and actor brought her fame, she was stressed and suffered from depression during the early years of her career.

Juggling acting projects with Miss A promotions pushed her to the brink, and once, she burst into tears in front of her friend. Suzy spoke about her struggles during Healing Camp, a talk show on SBS, calling out people for forgetting that she was just a child.

The former Miss A member seems to be doing much better, and released Cape, an English number from the perspective of being someone's support as they navigate through their mental health issues.

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3) BTS' SUGA

Among the strongest voices advocating for mental health within the Korean music industry is BTS' SUGA. He has often spoken about his struggles with depression, OCD, and social anxiety.

The 29-year-old rapper opened up about his issues in 2016 when he released his first mixtape, Agust D. He created an alter-ego who opposed all societal expectations but has a vulnerability that allows him to breach the topic of mental health.

In it, the BTS member raps,

"On the other side of the famous idol rapper/ Stands my weak self, it’s a bit dangerous/ Depression, OCD/ They keep coming back again from time to time."

SUGA has also spoken about mental health during interviews, offering solace to fans around the world who feel alone in their struggles.

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4) IU

One of the most well-known female K-pop idols, IU debuted as a soloist when she was in her teens, without having other members to lean on as in groups. She eventually found her footing in the industry and went on to become immesely successful.

However, the Palette singer suffered from an eating disorder, bulimia, in the early days of her career, which also manifested as anxiety about her weight. She even followed an extreme diet, dubbed the IU diet, to lose weight for an acting project. She has spoken out about her experiences on SBS' Healing Camp in 2014, saying that she was seeking help for her bulimia and anxiety.

The Hotel del Luna actress also shed light on the stress faced by K-pop idols following the loss of one of her dear friends to su*cide. She urged artists to put themselves first and express their emotions honestly, before comforting fans during her speech at the Golden Disk Awards in 2018.

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5) SHINee's Jonghyun

Although it is almost impossible to bring up the SHINee vocalist without speaking about his death in 2017, Jonghyun was one of the loudest voices speaking about mental health.

Jonghyun used his platform and fame to shed light on important issues around mental health. From supporting a trans fan who opened up about their struggles to openly addressing queries about mental health on his radio show Blue Night, he did it all.

The K-pop idol also spoke out about his own depression in the songs he penned, Let Me Out and IU's A Gloomy Clock (featuring the SHINee member himself). Jonghyun took his own life in 2017 after a battle with depression.

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When fans look upon K-pop idols, it is easy to forget that they are human beings who also suffer from issues related to their physical and mental health.

These five individuals are not the only ones from the K-pop idol industry to talk about mental health. Others such as G-Dragon, Taeyeon, MONSTA X's Joohooney, and HyuNa, have also been open about their struggles.

Idol agencies have also become transparent about giving K-pop idols time off to recover. However, the large number of idols suffering from mental health disorders presents the need for a systemic overhaul of the current infrastructure within the K-pop idol world.