https://variety.com/2025/film/obituaries-people-news/kim-sae-ron-dead-a-brand-new-life-the-man-from-nowhere-1236309847/
The Man From Nowhere is one of my all-time favourite films. Future rewatches will be a lot harder now. π
The entertainment industry in South Korea is way too harsh on young stars.
Was it all over a DUI charge?
shareA celebrity's popularity in South Korea is often contingent on a spotless reputation. In cases like Kim Sae-ron, if a female celebrity gets caught up in a legal case or something that goes against the standards of Korean society, people fail to let go and just cancel them even if they try to apologise, or start afresh. She was found to be working part-time at a cafe to pay off the damages from the DUI and tried to make her acting comeback a few times, but just kept getting rejected.
South Korean culture is just entirely built off of how much guilt someone can bear until they off themselves. The country has the fourth highest suicide rate in the world.
I am reminded of a lyric from Roger Waters - pity that it seems to have some truth to it:
If it wasn't for the Nips
Being so good at building ships
The yards would still be open on the Clyde
And it can't be much fun for them
Beneath the rising sun
With all their kids committing suicide