EXO's Sehun recently made fans worry about his recent post showing himself in a stressed state.
According to a report by All Kpop, Sehun recently posted a picture on his Instagram where he appeared to be worried as he spoke to a person on the phone. Fans jumped to the conclusion that the EXO maknae was stressed out by calls for Chen's ouster after he released an announcement about his plans to get married to his pregnant girlfriend.
EXO-Ls were particularly worried about Sehun's dark expression, which led to an outpouring of love and support online. However, it remains unclear if Sehun uploaded the image as a joke or if it had any relationship to Chen's wedding news at all.
It can be recalled that over the weekend, a small group of fans staged a protest outside the SM Town Building in Seoul to demand Chen's dismissal from EXO, citing that his announcement to get married was detrimental to the image of the group as a whole. Fans belonging from EXO-L ACE also criticized Chen for his irresponsible act of getting his girlfriend pregnant before marriage, Kpopstarz reported.
However, millions of global fans stood by Chen and wished him well with his personal life. International fans assured their complete and unconditional support for all nine members of EXO and said that they will continue purchasing albums and merchandise to propel the EXO brand.
EXO Global, in particular, criticized local fans for being narrow-minded and for imposing outdated beliefs on the members which affect their well being and happiness.
Kpop fans have recently become more aware of the impact of fame on Kpop artists as more and more celebrities have announced indefinite leaves from group activities due to mental health issues. Labels have also become more proactive in providing immediate care to artists who suffer from anxiety and depression.
In particular, the case of Sulli and Goo Hara from last year shocked the world and shone the spotlight on the ill effects of online bullying and the impossible standards fans set for celebrities. It can be recalled that former f(x) Sulli died last October at the age of 25 while her good friend, KARA's Goo Hara died at the age of 28 the following month. Police stopped short at announcing that both deaths were suicides but fans strongly believed that the stars took their own lives because of the constant abuse they suffered from a steady stream of negative comments and criticism, SCMP reported.
