Former idol, Park Sang Hee, is now a the Chief Psychiatrist. She appeared on TV to discuss Jonghyun and depression amongst those involved in the entertainment industry.
Park Sang Hee shared her perspective as both a psychiatrist and as a member of S.O.S, a first generation girl group.
“Every line of his suicide letter hurt my heart, as if Jonghyun was crying out in pain right beside me. The letter explicitly shows how desperate he felt and how much he wanted others to know his feelings in detail. He talks about his mental state from the very first sentence.”
— Park Sang Hee
Park Sang Hee continues on to talk about what depression really means to someone, and how complicated it can be. It’s not a simple issue to diagnose but it can be cured through the right help and patience.
“You can’t truly identify why he had fallen into depression. Depression is a disease that can come from experience, environmental issues, as well as the matters of the mind. It can also be a genetic problem.
What’s truly sad is that depression can be cured with the right help and enough patience, but he was not able to see the light during his process.
They call this the tunnel vision, where you can’t see the light while inside the tunnel and think ‘I will forever be stuck in this tunnel’. What’s important is that he wasn’t able to see the light because of how bleak he felt.”
— Park Sang Hee
As a former idol herself, Park Sang Hee also talks about how difficult it feels to be an idol in South Korea. She talks about the extremely high expectations and how celebrities can easily feel depressed, feeling like they cannot talk to anyone about their inner feelings and problems.
“Those trying to become a top star in the entertainment industry face problems in their self-confidence, and those who are already at the top feel mental stress due to the extreme competition. They feel uncertainty in their future as immediate as the next month. They face high expectations and criticism when those expectations aren’t met. I believe many celebrities feel anxious and have difficulty dealing with these problems.
The hardest thing about being a celebrity is that it’s a job where you have to constantly show your good side. That leads to not being able to talk to anyone and thinking that you can overcome the problems yourself, believing that you are strong enough. This can lead to such celebrities being trapped in this disease called depression. This is why I believe so many top stars in the industry fall into depression.”
— Park Sang Hee
Lastly, Park Sang Hee warns everyone how important it is to help those around you that are depressed. She stresses the importance of not giving. up and being there for those who truly need it.
“When you feel depressed, don’t try to overcome it yourself but depend on others to help you get out. Depend on family, friends or lovers and if you feel that you need professional help, you can ask me questions at any time. You could say that Jonghyun had also gone for help and that you think help is useless, but not every expert is the right fit for you. What’s important is that you do not give up and you continue to find the help that is right for you. After all these experts are also human.
Another thing to note is that many of the people who suffer from depression do not have the energy to even think about seeking help, so it’s important for those around them to care, ask questions and be willing to help.”
— Park Sang Hee
Park Sang Hee’s messages all refer to Jonghyun’s suicide letter, where he revealed the reasons why he chose to end his life through suicide.
(★BREAKING) Jonghyun’s Suicide Letter Surfaces, Explaining Why He Chose To End His Life
