K-Pop Idol’s Unexpected Comments On Suicide Rates In South Korea Set Off Strong Reactions

A post by SHINHWA member Kim Dong Wan on Threads has drawn attention for its direct commentary on youth suicide and the state of parenting in South Korea.

In his post, the idol urged society to focus on creating a safer environment for children, rather than only worrying about the country’s declining birth rate.

 

View on Threads

 

Rather than worrying about the falling birth rate, which won’t be fixed anyway, I wish people would first look at the youth suicide rate.

And there also needs to be oversight and intervention for parents who fail to fulfill their role as parents.

Instead of saying we should have more children, we should first build a society where the children who are already born actually want to live.

— Kim Dong Wan

He added in a follow-up comment referencing the tragic Japanese film 52-Hertz Whales: “Honestly, this came to mind while watching the film 52-Hertz Whales… People say they hate Japan so much, yet every few years, Korea ends up following the exact same path.”

The post quickly gained traction on TheQoo, where fans shared their thoughts on the idol’s comments and the issue.

• “That’s absolutely right. If the country becomes a good place to live, the birth rate will naturally go up.”
• “For real.”
• “Exactly. It should be a society where children who are already born don’t die and can grow up to become good adults.”
• “This is just facts.”
• “Yeah, that’s straight-up true.”
• “So true. I want to be free from my parents.”