This thesis explores the unusual cultural phenomenon that is South Korea’s high suicide rate. Although influential, South Korea’s competitive society, lack of attention to mental health and...Show moreThis thesis explores the unusual cultural phenomenon that is South Korea’s high suicide rate. Although influential, South Korea’s competitive society, lack of attention to mental health and cultural stigma cannot fully account for why this rate is so high. Therefore, a different aspect must be looked at, namely, The Werther Effect. Through the analysis of the case study of Choi Jin-Ri (Sulli), this research demonstrates how the K-Pop industry may be causing celebrities to take their own lives, thus through mechanism of the Werther Effect, aiding the increase of South Korea’s national suicide rate.Show less
