Idols Who Suffer From Stress-Related Illnesses
There are numerous groups with present promotions and upcoming comebacks in the K-pop industry nowadays and it means that fans can look forward to more group performances and appearances of their favorite groups. However, one of the downsides of being an idol is the extreme stress that they go through due to their hectic schedules.
In a report, Korea Herald wrote that there are many incidents of K-pop idols suffering from fatigue and other stress-related mental health issues. Some of the idols who have suffered from these are EXO's Lay, WINNER's Nam Tae Hyun, and Crayon Pop's Soyul.
On October 11, EXO fans got worried when reports of member Lay collapsing in the airport circulated on the Internet. Together with the other EXO members, Lay was at the Incheon International Airport getting ready to board a plane to Japan when he suddenly collapsed. Witnesses claimed that the idol remained unconscious as he was transferred to a nearby hospital.
Lay's agency, SM Entertainment, released an official statement after the incident saying, "Lay momentarily lost consciousness due to a lack of sleep. Thankfully, the doctor said he will make a full recovery after he gets some rest."
This statement from the label further angered the fans who claimed that SM Entertainment overworked the idol to the point of causing damage to his health. However, Lay quickly calmed his fans and said, "The fainting was my fault, please do not curse out my fellow company colleagues. The schedule arrangements were all mostly my choice. I am the type of person who does not like admitting defeat, so I always try to do everything I can. The agency respects my thoughts."
Earlier this month, respective agencies of WINNER's Nam Tae Hyun and Crayon Pop's Soyul both announced that the two idols will take a break from their schedules as idols due to health reasons.
On October 12, YG Entertainment announced that Nam Tae Hyun will be suspending his role as a member of WINNER indefinitely and is currently under treatment for "mental health issues." The type of health issue was not precisely disclosed but the agency said that the idol had been dealing with it since his trainee days but his situation worsened.
An official from the label of Crayon Pop said that member Soyul will be suspending all group activities because she was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. The official also stated, "Her conditions are worse than expected," adding that Crayon Pop will continue as a four-member group.
In the past, other idols who confessed to suffering from depression include 2NE1's Park Bom, Super Junior's Heechul, and Tablo of Epik High. IU has gone public with her battle with bulimia, while f(x) member Amber and former MBLAQ member Lee Joon were diagnosed with insomnia.
