Former T-ARA singer Areum addresses suicide attempt: “The hospital said it was a miracle I survived”
Ex-T-ARA singer Areum has addressed her recent suicide attempt and subsequent hospitalisation on Instagram.
On March 27, South Korean media reported that Areum had been taken to a hospital after attempting to take her own life. The news came a day after Areum accused her ex-husband, businessman Kim Young-gul, of being physically and emotionally abusive towards her and her children.
On March 29, Areum took to her Instagram to post a picture of herself on a hospital bed, accompanied with a caption addressing her attempt and her recovery, saying that “the hospital said it was a miracle I survived”.
“I remembered my loved ones, children, family and friends at the brink of death,” she wrote, per Korea JoongAng Daily. “After realising I might never see them again, I desperately wanted to live, so I held on and regained consciousness.”
In the same post, Areum also addressed several accusations a South Korean YouTuber had levied against her and her current partner, which included soliciting money from her Instagram followers for a prior hospital treatment, unrelated to the suicide attempt.
“What this YouTuber has said is not true,” Areum wrote. “The man is creating victims by inflating stories without knowing the inner details. He is harming not only me but also my innocent boyfriend to make money. I believe a lot of celebrities have been hurt and felt wronged by that YouTuber and by other malicious commentators. I have decided to take immediate legal action and file lawsuits.”
In the post, Areum also apologised to her fans for “causing concern” and thanked them for “supporting [her] till the very end”. “It was a time of reflection when I thought a lot about living with more strength,” she wrote, adding that she is still in the midst of recovery. “And I think it’s time that I should save myself. I really do have fans who believe in me, maybe even more than the people around me.”
Areum made her debut as a K-pop idol in 2012 as a member of the K-pop girl group T-ARA. She would later form the sub-unit T-ARA N4 with Eunjung, Hyomin and Jiyeon in April 2013, before leaving both groups in July of the same year.
Since her time with T-ARA, Areum has competed on the reality TV competitions The Unit in 2017, Kookmin Singer in 2021 and Sing Again 3 in 2023.
For help and advice on mental health:
- ‘Am I depressed?‘ – Help and advice on mental health and what to do next
- Help Musicians UK – Around the clock mental health support and advice for musicians
- Music Support Org – Help and support for musicians struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or mental health issues
- YOUNG MINDS – The voice for young people’s health and wellbeing
- CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably for young men
- Time To Change – Let’s end mental health discrimination
- The Samaritans – Confidential support 24 hours a day
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Carmen Chin
NME
