When will companies start taking mental health seriously?

[KaniPi]

Idols are already being overworked enough as it is, which affects their physical health, but what about their mental health as well? 

 

There needs to be more done to help people with things like depression, its not being in a "bad mood" and you can't just "snap out of it", its like being trapped in a void, you want to get better and be happy, but you just don't feel like you can, its a vicious cycle.

 

For a huge company like SM, don't they have reviews on their employees? I wonder how hard it must have been for him, to carry on working like that. Some of us don't even feel like getting out of bed or going outside.

 

I am just so terribly sad about Jonghyun, but I am also angry that this could have been prevented, if there was enough support available. 

 

Yes, its fine he had his fans, family etc, but sometimes you need professional help as well. 

 

Mental illnesses should be treated the same as physical illnesses.

[2020superman]

its not their job to.

[Ego ista]

They never will, getting psychologists or medications for the Idols is extra money and they don’t want to be bothered it’s not their job to worry about that one idol, the idol is either gonna get over it or leave

[Winter Bear]

I'm hoping even if it's from the cold pov of the idol being a product to them, one they don't want to lose, they start getting them help.

However, the overall problem is the Korean society, as the think it's a joke, actually most of Asia does. I suffer from depression and a whole host of other problems and my Asian family has told me to stop pretending and get over it numerous times.

[BeautyQueen ElleBean]

its not their job to.

 

These companies run the Idol's lives. They control almost every aspect of it. So it most certainly is their job to ensure the mental health of their people. Especially in exchange for the amount of time, life, energy, etc....that the idols give up in order to do their job. And especially if the JOB is a direct contributor. 

 

I'm hoping even if it's from the cold pov of the idol being a product to them, one they don't want to lose, they start getting them help.

However, the overall problem is the Korean society, as the think it's a joke, actually most of Asia does. I suffer from depression and a whole host of other problems and my Asian family has told me to stop pretending and get over it numerous times.

 

 

Yes even if they view the idol as a product (which is pretty disgusting but not surprising) they need to put as much care into their "products" as they can because if they don't than they will most certainly lose them in some way. 

 

I'm sorry about that....people really don't understand how serious and debilitating depression is. It makes me so angry. Depression is an illness like many physical illnesses, but people don't treat it as such.

[Sapphique]

As long as there are people who consider mental health problems as weakness instead of illness that needs to be treated and continue to downplay its possible outcome, the situation will not change.

[Honeystan]

its not their job to.

they've had most of these people since they were children and force them to live miles away from their families and friends. some of them barely speak the language. If the company isn't going to help them, then exactly who's job is it?

[idontlikekpopanymore]

Korea itself has a bad mind about suicide. Just watch as they treat TOP as a weak/draw attention after he tried to kill himself (not just once). This is a mentality that has to be changed nationally in view of the amount of suicides they have every year. 

[versace]

there really has to be a stronger movement to erase the stigma linked  to mental health issues especially in a country like Korea.. however i am proud to be in a generation that is starting to take this a lot more seriously than before

[Arrivederci]

its not their job to.

  

They never will, getting psychologists or medications for the Idols is extra money and they don’t want to be bothered it’s not their job to worry about that one idol, the idol is either gonna get over it or leave

I’m guessing you’ve never worked before? It’s very much expected of any company worth its salt to care about the mental wellbeing of their employees, unless it’s a corporate hellhole. I would be very disappointed in SM if they didn’t offer grief counseling for everyone immediately following this.

[Fentyoncé]

I would say it's not a matter of just the company, but Asia in general. The mentality is so cruel - people still believe that someone as rich and as popular as Jonghyun have no hardships in life - or they think, well I'm doing so much worse than him so why is he complaining about hardships??

Even where I live where mental health discussion is much more open, you can always find naysayers to say that mental health isn't a thing. It's an unfortunate situation and I can't imagine how it must be in Korea. I sincerely do hope that companies offer mental health services of some kind, cause god knows the industry is way too toxic for anyone to come out unscathed.

But more than that, I hope that the view on mental health changes because I don't want to ever wake up to news like this again, and I certainly don't want anyone to ever feel like life is no longer worth living

[UNNIE]

As far as everyone knows, SM has something of that sort. Milk club

 

the club has been around since 2009? Mental illness is such very hard to cure, at times even uncurable. That even the most careful steps could set a poor soul off to take their life. 

 

the gathering of depressed souls." He explains that the purpose of the club is for idol stars to provide mutual support for one another in order to overcome feelings of pain and loneliness. 

[satzurised]

  

I’m guessing you’ve never worked before? It’s very much expected of any company worth its salt to care about the mental wellbeing of their employees, unless it’s a corporate hellhole. I would be very disappointed in SM if they didn’t offer grief counseling for everyone immediately following this.

[caffe]

They never will, getting psychologists or medications for the Idols is extra money and they don’t want to be bothered it’s not their job to worry about that one idol, the idol is either gonna get over it or leave

 

Although we all know that it's about money, today I'm so fucking frustrated about idol business overall that I'd want people go walk on streets or something.. Instead of companies milking their idols to death, there should be a commandment for each and every company to have either their own mental health team or co-operation with one. 

[hazel_pop]

I know Crayon Pop's company Chrome Entertainment looked after Soyul's mental health

[Lugoose]

i think you mean, it's time for the fucking world to take mental health seriously

it's not just companies, it's the whole fucking country

[Kaotic_Belle]

 

As far as everyone knows, SM has something of that sort. Milk club

 

the club has been around since 2009? Mental illness is such very hard to cure, at times even uncurable. That even the most careful steps could set a poor soul off to take their life. 

 

the gathering of depressed souls." He explains that the purpose of the club is for idol stars to provide mutual support for one another in order to overcome feelings of pain and loneliness. 

 

The club only consisted of like 4 members. And as far as I know has been disbanded for a few years.

[lovely_me]

idk how legit it is but i just found this
 

Click here to view the Tweet

 
and sadly it sound logic.. :(
 

 

As far as everyone knows, SM has something of that sort. Milk club

 

the club has been around since 2009? Mental illness is such very hard to cure, at times even uncurable. That even the most careful steps could set a poor soul off to take their life. 

 

the gathering of depressed souls." He explains that the purpose of the club is for idol stars to provide mutual support for one another in order to overcome feelings of pain and loneliness. 

 

isnt it the one which Leeteuk created? if its it that it was only like last year or the year before created, since Teuk admit to suffer from depression and also had suicide thoughts.. 

again, idk if its it, but i know that Teuk made a club or smg and several times was reading a lessons abt depressions. 

[UNNIE]

The club only consisted of like 4 members. And as far as I know has been disbanded for a few years.

 

i doubt they would disband it no matter how busy they were. Such a beautiful creation that helped their own lives should live on

 

Even having someone to talk to is helpful 

[Kaotic_Belle]

 

i doubt they would disband it no matter how busy they were. Such a beautiful creation that helped their own lives should live on

 

Even having someone to talk to is helpful 

 

If i'm not mistake it was started by actual artists in the company. Taeyeon, Yoona, Leeteuk Yoochun, and Onew were in it. They should bring it back. SM idols deal with a lot as it is. At the very least the company should stay on top of their mental health. There were a few idols I've looked at wearily. Mainly Taeyeon after she said that she used to drink herself to sleep 3 years ago. And the other members seemed shocked by it. It's obvious that as much as they were around each other the fact that she couldn't divulge something so serious to them says a lot about how people will bury their feelings and problems just to seem okay. Even if it's just for show. I know what it looks like. I used to do it.

 

I think they need a professional. Someone who can recognize the signs. But with hat comes the issue of confidentiality. Many idols don't talk about their problems in public for fear of being judged (which is not what they need to hear). I trust my therapist but there are many people who would use their profession to their advantage and then sell the story for a pretty penny.

[sakurahanabira]

it's not necessarily the matter of the company. Even SM did not know that Jonghyun was suffering because he kept his pain to himself and his close friends/family, and kept a bright facade at work. No one at my work knows that I have depression either because I never show it in public or talk about it.

[lilkay45]

When will korea take mental illnesses seriously? It’s not just companies but korea in general. There is a reason why korea has a high suicide rate. It really sucks that it is not taken seriously. If you have a medical record that shows that you have depression, they might not even hire you because you might be seen weak and it might affect them.

 

Edit: typos. Typing it on phone

[sakurahanabira]

When will korea take mental illnesses seriously? It’s not just companies but korea in general. There is a reason why korea has a high suicide rate. It really sucks that it is not taken seriously. If you have a medical record that shows that you have depression, they might not even hire you because you might be seen weak and it might affect them.

Edit: typos. Typing it on phone

Asia in general, actually. South Korea is not the only country with a stigma against mental illnesses. There is a lot of stigma against mental illnesses in Japan as well and it is one of the countries with a high suicide rate. A popular place that Japanese people go to commit suicide is Aokigahara Forest.

[lilkay45]

Asia in general, actually. South Korea is not the only country with a stigma against mental illnesses. There is a lot of stigma against mental illnesses in Japan as well and it is one of the countries with a high suicide rate. A popular place that Japanese people go to commit suicide is Aokigahara Forest.

I know. It truly sucks. I am Chinese/Vietnamese American. Even in America, at least where I’m from, where mental health is taken more seriously with news being translated and more Asian mental health centers becoming available, lots of Asians still look down on mental illnesses. I have so much relatives that don’t understand mental illnesses and don’t understand why I’m going to therapy or why some people who are going through mental illnesses.

 

Edit: typos again. Typing thru phone

[sakurahanabira]

I know. It truly sucks. I am Chinese/Vietnamese American. Even in America, at least where I’m from, where mental health is taken more seriously with news being translated and more Asian mental health centers becoming available, lots of Asians still look down on mental illnesses. I have so much relatives that don’t understand mental illnesses and don’t understand why I’m going to therapy or why some people who are going through mental illnesses.

 

Edit: typos again. Typing thru phone

 

I'm Vietnamese-American, too, and I know all too well how Asians have trouble seeking help for their mental illnesses because of the stigma against it in their culture. I've had family members say "you have nothing to be depressed about" and bring up how they had it "much harder" than me when they were my age but still pushed through. Even my own mother who once dragged me to therapy doesn't take my depression seriously and every therapy/counseling session I had usually ends up consisting of her saying to the therapist/counselor that I'm just being a difficult child (and she always wants to sit in on my therapy sessions so she can talk over me. It doesn't help that the last counselor she dragged me to was on her side, either. I really hated that counselor).