#jangjayeon

[bandeusi-usneunda]

change, before it happens again.

I rember somehow stumbling across a video a couple years back about korean actress Jang Jayeon and how she allegedly killed herself it was in a complialtion video, many other korean celebrities that had passed away from chronic illness or tragic events were in it too. I rember the terrifying jolt I felt reading the word "suicide" in my phone screen and reading the brief description of her story. It was so unbelievably sad and heartbreaking to me how she hid all her pain and was being abused behind closed doors. I saw that video maybe four or five years ago.

I was introduced to the south korean boy group SHINee roughly 7 years ago when I was in fourth grade, about 9 years old. After I got over the initial culture shock I feel in love with them, their mesmerizing dances, melodic voices and exciting concepts. I feel in love with them as people and come to appreciate them more and more every day. I love them still it's strange, ive never met them? yet I feel like I know them to some extent. They easily became the highlight of my day. I watched every show I could could find with them in it, I remeber watching so many grainy videos from their debut era, not caring about the quality because I was so absorbed.

So on the morning of December 18th, 2017 on my bus ride to school, I midlessly scrolled through my phone as I did every day. I remember pulling down my notification bar on my phone and seeing "Breaking: SHINee's Jonghyun.." I couldn't see the rest of the words but somehow I just knew. I just knew when I pressed on it what had happened. I opened the article anyway and read the title over and over. I broke out sobbing and showed the screen of my phone to my sister who is the one who introduced me to the group, her reaction mirrored my own. I couldn't contain myself I cried all day, I tried to rationalize that I didn't even really know him, that it shouldn't be tearing me apart like this. That night I cried the hardest I had in my entire life, my head ached for hours through the tears. The sadness and feeling of regret, though I couldn't have known or stopped it from happening ate me away for months. Sometimes things would be okay but it would just hit me harder later. These days I think he's doing well wherever he is and that he's finally getting the life he deserves. Sometimes when I see pictures of him He almost looks unfamiliar and it breaks my heart. When I look at old videos of him I see a boy with a dream, a son, a brother a friend who never got to live the life on earth they deserved. I rember trying to tell myself that it would have been the same if he wasn't a celebrity' that maybe he was destined to go in that way but its not true. He felt pressure, he saw the comments, he felt the criticism and he did not feel like he could escape. He gave the world his heavenly talent and he got his life taken in return. I still think about him most days, the pain isn't as intense, but it will always linger. I can only imagine what his family and his brothers feel, his closest friends. So desperately I thought that people needed to change that "knetz" and haters needed to stop spewing disgusting hate on people they did not even know, people they just hated to hate.

A few days ago I saw the article that Sulli had passed away from a suspected suicide. She had always been a "wild" one I used to think. But wild in the western society I live in and "wild" in a relatively conservative society like South Korea are very different. As more articles came out and I found out more about the recent events that likely caused her to end her life I just wanted to scream out to the world "don't you know you're killing people? The stupid words you type thoughtlessly are killing people!" You can argue whatever you want but its disgusting and not Sulli or Jonghyun's fault for leaving this cruel culture.

Why is it that two individuals who challenge South Korea's societal and celebrity norms now no longer walk on this earth? Why do these beautiful people have to go so soon? They're so many "what ifs" and "i wish"s to say.

Korean people have said themselves that as a general populations Koreans are too quick to criticize those things that don't match their ideals. Mental health is still a difficult topic, but it shouldn't be. How much longer, how many more have to go before we humans living and breathing right now typing comments on our phones, realize that our words have weight? I won't say im innocent and that I have never typed a mean comment or criticized someone for something trivial, but its time to change its time to "grow" up and become responsible for our words. No more hiding behind little screens.

It isn't just celebrities you love, its your classmate, your friend, your sibling, your partner, anyone could be feeling like they could crack at any second because the world seems turned agaisnt them and the only option to feel better is to stop feeling. Stop ignoring it, don't let someone else die before you change the way you think.

Celebrities are people, whether you may think someones "weak" for being affected by hundreds of comments on the daily criticizing and saying the most malicious and disgusting things to them, you need to realize that not everyone is you and that you need to put yourself in someone else's shoes to know how they feel. Words hurt more than some people can possibly imagine.

My heart hurts for the friends of these two beautiful people, that have to carry on with their heads held high acting like they're okay. Acting like two of the closest people in their lives haven't been ripped away because of a society and a world lacking empathy. I pray to whoever is out them to help them and to change this revolting world.

These people's dreams are dead but luckily the memory of them remains.

please make a change, dont wait.

[whatthekpopofficial]

Seoul Prosecutors Office To Reinvestigate Sexual Abuse Claims Of The Late Jang Ja Yeon

The Seoul Prosecutors Office has decided to reinvestigate sexual abuse claims by the late Jang Ja Yeon. On March 7th, 2009, the up-and-coming actress committed suicide at the age of 29. In her suicide note, she revealed that she had been forced into sexual acts with prominent executives in the entertainment business and was beaten and abused by her manager as well. In the suicide note she left behind, she included a list of over 30 executives, CEOs, directors, and more with whom she was forced to have sex. Although the young actress had just come out of a highly successful role in the hit 2009 drama "Boys Over Flowers" and was awaiting the release of her first two films, she had been struggling with depression for quite some time. In her suicide note, she revealed that the abuse had taken its toll on her and was the main contributing factor in her decision to take her life. Despite the horrific details and news around her suicide, the police suppressed the list of names on the list. However, a portion of the list was later leaked and spread online that included various famous producers for SBS, MBC, and KBS, CEOs and Chairmen (at the time) of companies like Lotte, Kolon, and Olive 9, as well as CEOs or executives for media outlets like The Chosun Ilbo, Sports Chosun, Central Journal, and more.  Out of those on the list, only 20 were investigated by police. Out of that number, only seven were prosecuted. The manager, who arranged most of the meetings and forced her into these situations, as well as physically abused her, was arrested. However, despite his horrible crimes, he was only sentenced to one year in prison. Earlier this year, new leads had come up that mainly pointed at some of the people named on the list who were originally investigated but were let go due to lack of evidence. In February, thousands of Koreans signed a petition to ask the Blue House to officially investigate the case in detail once more. As such, the case began to be looked into again. As a result of new evidence, it was revealed this week that the Seoul Prosecutors Office has decided to fully reinvestigate the individuals on the list included in Ms. Jang's suicide note. Those who were previously let go due to lack of evidence will also be reinvestigate as well. The tragic death of Ms. Jang was something we previously talked about in our article 9 Korean Actors Who Tragically Committed Suicide, an article where we talked about the sometimes dark and depressing lives of famous celebrities who otherwise seem to have it all. With Ms. Jang, we talked specifically about her situation in an attempt to shed light on the reasons she chose to take her life. As an outlet that has long since mourned the loss of this defenseless young actress who was taken advantage of, we are so thrilled that the Seoul Prosecutors Office has decided to re-investigate those named on Ms. Jang's list of people who abused her. We hope and pray that this time, the list will be fully investigated to the fullest and most proper amount and that those whose actions led to the death of such a promising, beautiful young woman will finally be called to justice. Stay tuned for more details on this developing story. Media: WTK Source: Osen Read the full article

[asia247]

#JusticeForJangJaYeon: What’s Happened In The Year Since Jang Ja Yeon’s Case Was Reopened

#JusticeForJangJaYeon: What’s Happened In The Year Since #JangJaYeon’s Case Was Reopened

On June 5th, 2018, the prosecution announced their decision to reopen actress Jang Ja Yeon’s case surrounding her 2009 suicide. The decision came after a petition to reopen the case from the National People’s Petition received 200,000 signatures and the prosecution recommended the reinvestigation on April 2nd, 2018. Park Jin Hyun, ordered by the Supreme Public Prosecutors’ Office to investigate…

[asia247]

#MeToo in South Korea: Justice For Jang Ja Yeon Nearly 10 Years In The Making

The prosecution's decision to reopen #JangJaYeon's case nearly 10 years after her death, amidst Korea's #MeToo Movement is symbolic

Trigger Warning: This piece discusses suicide and sexual assault

March 7, 2009, Jang Ja Yeon’s body was found hanging in her home in Bundang district, Seongnam, Gyeonggi province by her sister who she had called earlier in the day to talk of “overwhelming stress.” Jang Ja Yeon’s career was picking up after playing high school mean girl, Sunny aka Park Seon Ja, in the wildly popular drama Boys…

[asia247]

The decision to reinvestigate #JangJaYeon comes during South Korea's #MeToo movement making her long overdue justice that much more important