Suga from the K-pop group BTS discusses suicide and self-harm in the music video for his track Amygdala. Topics such as these are considered to be quite taboo in Korea and the Korean music industry.
The rapper touches on his struggles with mental health, something he has discussed in the past, along with his family tragedies and the incident where he was hit by a car as a teenager.
The music video shows the idol struggling to not hurt himself and makes further references to overdosing, another topic which is taboo in Korean society, especially considering the strict drug laws in the country.
The timing of the track’s release comes at a sensitive time for discussions of suicide and mental health, considering the very recent death of well-loved K-pop idol Moonbin, who reportedly took his own life.
The taboo around suicide and the pressures that lead one to such an act have come up a handful of times in the K-pop industry, with the shocking death of several idols at their own hand, including SHINee’s Jonghyun.