International Academic Journal Issues Warning: Musicians’ Suicide Rate 10 Times Higher Than General Population…The Shadow of K-pop Industry Structure

The issue of suicide among musicians, including K-pop idols, is being seriously discussed in international academic circles. A research team led by Professor George Musgrave from the Institute for Creative Cultural Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths, University of London, confirmed that the prevalence of suicide among musicians poses a severe concern and published their findings on the 7th in the international academic journal “Public Health Frontiers.” According to data from the UK Office for National Statistics on death rates by occupation from 2011 to 2015, musicians, actors, and entertainers were classified as one of the groups with the highest suicide rates. The suicide rates for men and women in these occupations exceeded the average rates by 20% and 69%, respectively. Similar patterns are evident in U.S. epidemiological data. In 2022, the suicide rate per 100,000 people in the general population was 14.2, but among male musicians and related professionals, it reached 138.7, ranking third among all occupational groups. Agriculture and food scientists topped the list with a rate of 173.1 per 100,000, followed by logging workers at 161.1 per 100,000. Among women, occupations in art, entertainment, sports, and media, including those of musicians, showed the highest suicide rates. In South Korea, although data on suicide rates by occupation is limited, cases of suicide among K-pop singers have occurred, and studies confirming a link between suicide and perfectionism suggest that musicians are likely to be a vulnerable group. Analysts argue that the pressure for perfection in the K-pop market—related to singing, dancing, appearance, and personality—can make singers prone to suicide. The research team emphasized the severity of musician suicide issues by mentioning the deaths of singers such as Goo Hara, Sulli, and Moonbin. Recent reports continue to highlight suicide cases within the K-pop industry. Kim Sae-ron, a 24-year-old actress, was found dead in her home in Seoul on February 16, and the police ruled it a suicide. Once a star in K-dramas, Kim Sae-ron was convicted of drunk driving in 2022, and subsequent attempts to revive her career failed. After her death, fan communities condemned the harsh criticism she faced on social media over the past few years, stating that this had effectively pushed her into social stigmatization. The research team analyzed factors such as exploitative practices in the entertainment industry, widespread substance use disorders, financial instability, increased exposure on social media, achievement pressure, and irregular sleep patterns as contributors to the stress faced by those who make music their profession. They also criticized historical discourse that mythologizes artists’ suicides within a romantic framework of “artistic suffering,” suggesting a persistent narrative that artists may fall into madness, become dark and gloomy, and even resort to suicide. As a preventive intervention for musician suicides, the research team proposed the “Zero Suicide Framework” developed by the American Association for Suicide Prevention. This approach includes establishing suicide prevention gatekeeper training programs, supporting musicians in having honest conversations with friends, family, and managers, identifying specific risk signals unique to musicians, and implementing interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy for suicide prevention. The research team emphasized, “Just as musicians enrich society through their artistic contributions, there is a shared responsibility to protect their mental well-being,” adding that effective suicide prevention strategies and collaborative approaches with mental health professionals must be developed and implemented.