Kim So-dam, sister of the late K-pop star Jonghyun and chairperson of the SHINee Foundation, explains about a psychological support project for young artists. Captured from SHINee Foundation’s social media.
SHINee’s Jonghyun’s sister launches foundation to support young people, Goo Hara’s brother and Shin Hae Chul’s widow lead legislative efforts
From KTimes
Kim So-dam, the younger sister of the late Jonghyun, a member of the K-pop group SHINee who tragically passed away at the age of 27, recently spoke about her own journey of healing.
After feeling like she was hiding from the world for years, Kim now found a way to express her inner thoughts, and this newfound courage led her to set up a psychological counselling project aimed at supporting young artists.
“I’ve felt like I was hiding for so long, and I’ve finally found a way to open up and share what’s inside of me,” Kim said.
Seven years after her brother’s death, Kim introduced herself for the first time through a video on the SHINee Foundation’s social media channels to promote the foundation’s new project, “Youth Trust Up,” a psychological counseling initiative for young artists.
Kim, who lost her brother to depression, is now dedicated to promoting the mental health of other young artists. “I’m sure you all have stories to tell, too. Instead of being held captive during these difficult times, let’s get through them together,” she said.
Jonghyun’s family established the non-profit organization in 2018, a year after his suicide. Named after the title track of his posthumously released album, the foundation is run by donations from the family and Jonghyun’s royalties. The foundation supports scholarships and platforms for young artists, with its next goal being to establish a psychological counseling center for artists.
Goo Ho-in, the younger brother of the late Goo Hara, called for the establishment of the Goo Hara Law in May 2020. Yonhap News
Laws and foundations born from celebrity tragedies
Similarly, thanks to the efforts of the family of singer Goo Hara, who committed suicide at the age of 28, the “Goo Hara Law” (a proposed amendment to the Civil Code) was passed by the National Assembly last month. When Goo died in 2019, her estranged mother, with whom she had not been in contact for over 20 years, was granted the right to inherit a significant portion of her estate.
Koo’s brother, Koo Ho-in, led a campaign to change the law to prevent parents who have not raised their children from inheriting property.
After five years of efforts, the amendment was finally passed last month, with Rep. Koo Ho-in expressing his gratitude, saying, “I hope that the Goo Hara Law will help prevent similar injustices against future victims.”
“The families of those who commit suicide, having endured great suffering, are using their own sense of loss to comfort others who may be facing similar anguish and prevent further tragedies,” said cultural critic Ha Jae-geun. “After the death of a celebrity, the families often gain social influence and a platform, and it is commendable that they are using this for the public good.”
This trend is not new: The widow of singer Shin Hae-chul, who died at age 46 in 2016 due to medical malpractice, played a key role in the passage of the Shin Hae-chul Act, a proposed amendment to the Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Act.
Similarly, the father of actress Jang Jin-young, who died of stomach cancer at the age of 37 in 2009, established the Carem Scholarship Foundation the following year and continues to support students through scholarships.
Shin Hae-cheol’s widow sheds tears after the Shin Hae-cheol Act was passed on Nov. 30, 2019. Yonhap News Agency
Changing perceptions and promoting healing
Actions like these from celebrity families are helping to change the public’s perception of celebrities for the better.
“There are still negative perceptions towards idols and celebrities, but the community service work of their families helps change this perception,” said cultural critic Kim Hong-sik. “Just like in countries like the U.S., where the families of celebrities contribute to society through foundations and donations, it is important that this trend continues in Korea as well.”
For example, after the death of actor Matthew Perry, known for his role in the beloved sitcom “Friends,” his family set up a foundation for addiction treatment and donated his fortune to it. Perry had struggled with drug addiction for 30 years.
This attitude of mourning can also have a significant healing effect. “Although there is still a tendency to hide or downplay issues such as death and suicide, social activities by bereaved families help keep the memory of the deceased alive,” says Lim Myung-ho, a psychology professor at Dankook University. “This not only aids the healing process for bereaved families, but also provides comfort to the general public who may have been affected by the death of a celebrity.”
The late actor Jang Jin-young and his father Jang Gil-nam / Korea Times File
This article was provided by The Korea Times’ sister publication, Hankook Ilbo, translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
