Sulli's death brought the problem of malicious comments to the fore. There was even a petition for adding an article of the law called, "Choi Jin Ri Law" as a way to make all netizens use 'real-name' in order to stop posting of hate comments.
Many news articles were released blaming viciousness of hate comments. From the beginning until the end, the main theme of Sulli's death has been the issue of "malicious comments."
When the news of Sulli's passing was delivered, many online communities and internet comments were filled with criticism about the malicious comments. Many news articles argued that the law should be made to ban posting of hate slandering comments. The public gave full vent to their rage over the unexpected death of Sulli by pointing at the issue of bad comments.
Police investigation found no mention of hate comments in the memo of the deceased. The police initially speculated that Sulli had been affected by malicious rumors. However, it was found that most of the notes left by Sulli were only about her psychological state, such as 'I feel hard' and 'I feel good today.' Since she did not write down the date like a diary, it is hard to figure out when and in what situation it was difficult for her. A police official said, "The note describes personal heart changes, but it doesn't have any contents about malicious comments."
'Malicious comments' should be eradicated, but nobody can say that all the idol stars' depression was caused by hate comments. The definition of 'malicious comment' is also ambiguous. Critics and opinions must not be categorized as malicious comments. In particular, there is no evidence that all of the idol's illnesses come from malicious comments. The approach that only malicious comments are the problem cannot solve a situation fundamentally.
There is a need to change the perspective on idol stars. In South Korea, female idols who send out social messages are viewed as grandstanders. Also, they are forced to make apologies even when they did not do any wrongdoings. Often times, idol girls fall to become sexual laughingstock. Even the dating news pressures stars to apologize in front of the public as if they committed a crime.
Kim Dong-wan, a senior idol star, wrote in his SNS, "As more media and more entertainers come out, entertainers feel pressured more heavily. There are a lot of adults who want to see healthy and bright smiles of younger entertainers even when they cannot eat well or sleep comfortably. They want them to be tough but not doing fight, sexy but not doing sex." He argued that the agency that the stars belong must take care of the sickness of artists' hearts more attentively.
