South Korean actress Jung Chae-yull has passed away at age 26. She was found dead in her home in Seoul on Tuesday, according to the production company she had been working with. Her cause of death has not been disclosed.
Jung was still in the early stages of her acting career, and the tragic news has raised concerns about the mental health of young people working in South Korea's entertainment industry — which has skyrocketed thanks to BTS, Blackpink, and countless K-drama stars, but is known for its highly competitive nature.
The late actress isn't the first case of a young Korean star dying suddenly in their 20s suddenly; many of these deaths, though not all, have been determined to be suicides.
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Management S, Jung's agency in Seoul, said in a statement Tuesday: "Actress Chae-yull has left our side on April 11, 2023."
They added: "We pray that Chae-yull, who has always been sincere about acting, is able to rest in peace in a warm place."
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Jung's first step into the spotlight was back in 2016, when she was part of a fashion competition show in her home country called Devil's Runway, which was followed by multiple brand endorsements both from South Korean and American labels.
She ventured into acting in 2018 when she landed a leading role in the movie Deep, a thriller set in the Philippines. She also had roles in Zombie Detective, which came out in 2020, and was in the process of filming a series called Wedding Impossible.
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Following the news, fans have rushed to voice their concern over the tragic yet rising phenomenon of celebrities dying young. One fan on Twitter wrote: "Unless the entertainment industry and media change, South Korea will be first place on celebrity suicide."
In an effort to curb the pressing cyber-bullying issue both public figures and private citizens in South Korea are facing, South Korean authorities recently announced that instances of bullying will now be reflected on college applications.
In the past two years, actress Song Yoo-jung, 26, K-pop stars Sulli, 25, and Goo Hara, 28, have all been found dead in their homes, and the latter two were confirmed to be suicides.
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