Thursday, April 29, 2010

The Sad Face of the Korean Entertainment Industry

Last year around this time, a very famous actress from the hit drama "Boys Over Flowers" committed suicide, much to the shock of Koreans everywhere.  It was later revealed through information she had left that she felt too much pressure from her management company to succeed, and within that, was forced to do things she could no longer live with doing.  The sad truth of the entertainment industry, particularly the acting sector, is that many actresses are forced into doing what they normally wouldn't, just to keep their jobs.  This includes going on diets to become scarily thin, getting unnecessary plastic surgery done to look more attractive, and even having sex with higher-ups in the entertainment business. 

While the important figures the actress mentioned were never confirmed to have played a role in her suicide, it's not to say that other actresses in Korea aren't feeling the same dangerous stress that she did.  This article from the Chosun Ilbo today says that 60% of actresses have been propositioned at one point or another to have sex with important industry figures and businessmen. The number is alarmingly high, and hard to wrap one's mind around.  Some actresses comment in the article that they refused the advances, but will more and more actresses have the courage to do the same in the future?  Or will this current and terrible system keep perpetuating itself?

2 comments:

  1. You have done a marvelous job! I am really inspired with your work.

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  2. Thank you for reading, and for the compliment! :)

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