Young Koreans exposed to songs that encourage suicide
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Certain songs making the rounds in South Korea have caused concern for many as they encourage suicide among the youth. The songs, as per the Korea Times last Sept. 11, have been circulating online for years, with a certain one, entitled “Head-butt Suicide,” standing out as it encourages jumping to one’s death.
The song, although macabre in its lyrics, features a fun and happy animated music video—the complete opposite of what its message promotes. Some of the phrases in the song include “ultra-idiot,” “meaningless brain,” “dung-filled body who is sorry for trees for wasting oxygen,” as well as “sorry for causing more dust with our dead bodies.”
It was reported that the word “suicide” was also mentioned 13 times in the song. It was posted on YouTube in July 2017 and has garnered over 1 million views.
Cho Hee-yeon, superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, was alarmed upon hearing the song, calling it “cyber language violence.”
In the past, another song called “Fall from 7th floor” had the public up in arms when it became popular among Korean preschoolers. This particular song portrayed a person dying after falling from the seventh floor despite receiving aid.
As per the World Health Organization, around 800,000 people die due to suicide every year, or 1 person every 40 seconds. South Korea is among the countries with the highest suicide rates in the world. In the 2018 suicide-prevention report of South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare, it was shown that the suicide rate among teens increased from 4.2 per 100,000 in 2015 to 4.9 in 2016. Cody Cepeda /ra
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If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, please reach out to the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH). Their crisis hotlines are available at 1553 (Luzon-wide landline toll-free), 0917-899-USAP (8727), 0966-351-4518, and 0908-639-2672. For more information, visit their website: (https://doh.gov.ph/NCMH-Crisis-Hotline)
Alternatively, you can contact Hopeline PH at the following numbers: 0917-5584673, 0918-8734673, 88044673. Additional resources are available at ngf-mindstrong.org, or connect with them on Facebook at Hopeline PH.
