Korean Child Stars & Tragic Fate: From Kim Sae-Ron To Moonbin, The Dark Side Of Fame
Kim Sae-Ron’s passing has reignited concerns about the immense pressure on young Korean stars. From Moonbin to Sulli, here’s a look at child artists who faced heartbreaking fates in the industry.
Korean Child Stars Tragic Fate (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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It’s been a tragic time for the South Korean entertainment industry after Kim Sae-Ron passed away. Read on to learn more about the sad fate of the deaths of the Korean stars who began their career as child artists.
Kim Sae-Ron’s death stirred up the South Korean entertainment industry as it led people to notice how the young artist had been walking on the path of suicidal thoughts. In the last few years, South Korea has witnessed many young celebrities die by suicide, including Moonbin, Sulli, and others. These are just a few names among the rest who have faced the pressure of fame. These suicides are not just isolated incidents, but what people and critics realize is that they are a part of systemic issues within the industry.
The real question that should be asked is, even after having fame and wealth, why are these young stars facing such pressure, which is leading to death? Here, we have curated a list of South Korean celebs who had started their career as child artists and gained popularity over the years but fell into the tragic fate of death. Scroll ahead to know the probable reason behind their deaths.
Kim Sae-Ron started her career as a child model, then stepped into the acting industry as a child actor in 2009 with ‘A Brand New Life,’ but found popularity after featuring in The Man from Nowhere in 2010. She soon transitioned into a lead actress and started to star in big projects like Hi! School – Love On and Bloodhounds.
However, after a drink-and-drive incident, she faced a lot of controversy that led her to take a hiatus of two years. She was even preparing for her comeback, but before that could happen, she succumbed to death in February 2025.
Sulli (2019)
Sulli (Choi Jin-Ri), who began her career after winning a children’s beauty pageant, debuted in the acting industry in the same year with SBS’ drama, Ballad of Seodong. She later became a trainee at SM Entertainment and kicked off her career as a f(x) member.
However, she left the group in 2015 to focus on her solo activities and pursue her solo career. But, soon in 2019, she passed away tragically.
Moonbin (2023)
Moonbin began his career in 2006 when he appeared in TVXQ’s “Balloons” music video as a young version of U-Know Yunho. He later featured alongside U-Know Yunho on SBS’s “Star King” but soon transitioned into a well-known actor and officially began acting in 2009 when he played Kim Bum’s character’s younger version in KBS 2TV’s drama, Boys Over Flowers.
He went on to debut as an idol in 2016 and was a part of the popular boyband ASTRO under Fantagio. The band also consists of MJ, Jinjin, Cha Eun-woo, and Yoon San-ha (originally was a sextet, but after Rocky departed from the band and Moonbin’s death, it’s been a four-member team). In April 2023, the actor-turned-idol’s death news surfaced everywhere, leaving everyone in shock.
Moreover, Kim Sae-Ron and Moonbin previously worked on the drama To be Continued, and reportedly, the actress was still mourning his death, which makes her situation even more heartbreaking.
Apart from these stars who started their careers as young artists and then transitioned into leads, some other Korean celebs chose death over life in their youth. This list consists of Park Young-Ha (who died at 29), Jonghyun, the lead singer of SHINee (who died at 27), Goo Hara, another f(x) member (who died at 28), and more.
But why this chain of suicides are happening in South Korea? Well, it is no longer a secret that Korean entertainment culture pressures celebrities. The pressure is not from the relentless schedules or the public criticism; it’s about the culture not letting them get vulnerable, talk about mental health issues, pressure them to maintain a certain physical appearance, and so on and so forth.
The ‘ideal idol’ image needs to be maintained in South Korea. K-pop stars, actors, and actresses are expected to embody almost unattainable standards of behavior, appearance, and more. They need a perfect public image that doesn’t allow them to show vulnerability or imperfection. Every move of these young celebs is being scrutinized, revolving around their fashion choices, social media updates, and personal relationships.
Recently, Park Sung-Hoon’s social media activity led him to lose his career as people called him out, asking him to be excluded from the next Squid Game season. The cancel culture is quite common in South Korea and spreads like wildfire. This whole ‘ideal’ image has grown deep in the notion that the idols are not just any entertainers, they are the role models for the younger generation. What are your thoughts about this whole scenario?
We send our prayers to Kim Sae-Ron’s family and friends. May her soul rest in peace.
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