Concerns for Idols' Mental Health Rise in the K-pop Industry

The Korean pop music genre has gained attention worldwide in recent years. K-pop songs like “Super Shy” have consistently appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. As this attention rose, the K-pop industry and culture have been hotly discussed, both positively and negatively.

In the K-pop industry, artists have to put on a smile and converse with their fans energetically even on a bad day. During comebacks, idols wake up before sunrise to get to their stage schedules at music programs in order to promote their songs to audiences. They are constantly surrounded by flashing lights and comments from social media.

“I see two sides,” Athenian’s Director of International Program Michelle Park said. Michelle has been passionate about K-pop since 2017, when BTS’s “Mic Drop” was released. “I see a young person who has that desire to become a celebrity, and they are talented as a musician, vocalist, dancer and they look good. On the other side, for me as a teacher and a parent of small children, I truly feel that it is an unhealthy and suffocating lifestyle. I know that they start really early and that the training days’ schedule is intense and rigorous, with hours and hours of practice. They are kind of confronting idol life with how they speak, how they look, how they dress, how they move—everything. They are turning into robots,” Michelle said.

This is especially demanding for idols of young age. UNIS, a new K-pop girl group that debuted in March 2024, has an average age of 16 years old. The youngest member, Lim Seowon, is only 13.

Becoming a celebrity as a child is not uncommon in the entertainment industry. However, the situation is different in Korea because the fandom constantly engages with K-pop idols through overwhelming, often unhealthy fandom interactions. This is not the first time that idols have appeared in front of the media at such a young age. Won-young of the former group IZ*ONE debuted at 14 years old, Yuna of ITZY debuted at 15, and Eunchae of LE SSERAFIM debuted at 15. They are all outstanding figures in the K-pop industry now. However, it is difficult to imagine the stress that comes with early exposure to the media when children are too young to develop the techniques to cope with the negative comments that flow through social media.

The effects of young debut and social media are apparent. Lia of ITZY has been on hiatus since December 2023 due to her mental health. Appearing in front of the public at 18 years old, she has faced numerous criticisms. Now she can finally get away from the stress of being recognized all of the time and have the opportunity to live a normal life.

“At 13 and 14, you are really supposed to be a kid, playing with your friends. But celebrities have to constantly think about their image. In many ways, they have to become adults. They have people managing them, telling them what they can or can’t do,” Upper School Counselor Rose Stoloff said.

“Celebrities project a certain persona on social media. At 13 years old is really when most people start to figure out who they are and develop their identity. Stars are constantly switching between who they are in their normal life and who they are online, and that can definitely cause some mental health challenges such as anxiety and maybe even depression,” Rose said.

K-pop is a fantastic genre of music. The lyrics of the songs are inspiring and the performances of the idols are exceptional. It is important to establish a healthier industry for K-pop to grow further.

“If K-pop idols have freedom and liberty to be truly themselves, I think that would be the ideal K-pop industry,” Michelle said. “Celebrities can have people to support them with counseling and to encourage these young kids to have healthy lifestyles, that would help. I hope they can hang out with friends and go to school. It is important to have all of these components in a young person’s life,” Michelle said.