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The Korea Times

By Jung Hae-myoung
The death of South Korean actor-singer Cha In-ha has raised concerns that the country is witnessing the copycat-suicide phenomenon known as the “Werther effect”.


Named after the protagonist of the novel The Sorrows of Young Werther, written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, it refers to the phenomenon of people taking their own lives following widely publicised suicides.
Cha’s death on Tuesday followed the suspected suicides of Sulli, a former member of K-pop girl group f (x), on October 14, and of her friend and fellow singer Goo Hara, on November 24.
Cha was appearing in the MBC prime time television drama Love with Flaws as the second brother of the main character Joo Seo-yeon (played by Oh Yeon-seo).

“We are very sorry to tell you that Cha In-ha left this world on December 3. It is heartbreaking to deliver this news to all the people who have shown him love and support,” said Fantagio, his management company. It also requested the media to refrain from reporting anything based on assumptions or rumours.
Fans were shocked by the sudden death of Cha, as he had been active in communicating with his fans. He left a photo on Instagram with the caption, “Try not to catch a cold”, a day before his death.
“Although young people’s deaths grab the attention of the media, actual government support to prevent such tragedies is minimal,” says Hong Hyun-joo, a professor at Hallym University.

“The government does not have a sustainable solution to young people’s suicides because they are only focused on those among the elderly. There should be a reallocation of the government budget to come up with sustainable prevention of more youth deaths.”
Cha made his debut in the short film You, Deep Inside of Me in 2017, and was a member of the K-pop act Surprise U, which was formed by Fantagio. He built his acting career through SBS drama Temperature of Love, Clean With Passion for Now and The Banker.
Read the full story at the Korea Times
If you, or someone you know, are having suicidal thoughts, help is available. For Hong Kong, dial +852 2896 0000 for The Samaritans or +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services. In the US, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on +1 800 273 8255. For a list of other countries’ services, see this page.


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Copycat-suicides fear in Korea after K-pop stars Cha In-ha, Sulli, Goo Hara die in the space of two months

Cha In-ha. The death of the young actor-singer, following the suspected suicides of K-pop stars Sulli and Goo Hara, has raised concerns in Korea that the accompanying publicity could trigger young people to take their own lives.

***ONE TIME USE ONLY, PLEASE CLEAR THE COPYRIGHTS BEFORE RE-USE - OTUO*** Sulli

Korean actor Cha In-ha, 27, found dead – the third death, after those of singers Goo Hara and Sulli, to rock Korean entertainment industry in space of two months

South Korean actor Cha In-ha, who was found dead on Tuesday. He was 27. His death is the third to rock the country’s entertainment industry in the past two months.

Handout image shows South Korean actor Cha In-Ha

K-pop deaths renew focus on cyber bullying of young stars and lack of punishment

K-pop star Goo Hara was found dead in her home on November 24. She had been subjected to vicious attacks online about her relationships with men, local media said. Photo: Handout

The portrait of late K-pop star Goo Hara is seen surrounded by flowers at a memorial altar at a hospital in Seoul on November 25, 2019. - Fans mourned and questions were asked November 25 after K-pop star and revenge porn victim Goo Hara was found dead in a possible suicide, which would make her the second female singer in a month to take her own life in the high-pressure industry. (Photo by str / Dong-A Ilbo / AFP) / South Korea OUT

Jailing of K-pop stars Jung Joon-young and Choi Jong-hoon offers ray of hope in dark year for the industry

K-pop singer Jung Joon-young, pictured here speaking upon his arrival at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in March, received a six-year prison term for gang-raping two different victims on two occasions in 2016, and filming himself having sex with other women without their knowledge and sharing the footage without their consent. Photo: AP

Goo Hara

Choi Jong-hoon

Sulli

Lifestyle

Entertainment

Culture

Music


Fans were left shocked by the sudden deaths of the Korean celebrities, raising fears for their mental health
There are concerns young people in Korea may take their own lives following widely publicised suicides, a phenomenon known as the ‘Werther effect’



The death of actor-singer, following the suspected suicides of Goo Hara and Sulli, has raised fears in Korea that publicity about stars’ deaths could trigger young people to take their own lives.


Copycat-suicides fear in Korea after K-pop stars Cha In-ha, Sulli, Goo Hara die in the space of two months

Fans were left shocked by the sudden deaths of the Korean celebrities, raising fears for their mental health There are concerns young people in Korea may take their own lives following widely publicised suicides, a phenomenon known as the ‘Werther effect’

Fans were left shocked by the sudden deaths of the Korean celebrities, raising fears for their mental health

There are concerns young people in Korea may take their own lives following widely publicised suicides, a phenomenon known as the ‘Werther effect’