Kim Sae-ron's death underscores the huge pressure on South Korean celebrities

Actor Kim Sae-ron’s death adds to the list of celebrity deaths in South Korea that underscore the enormous pressure they face under the gaze of a relentlessly unforgiving media that pounces on their every misstep. Experts express concern about increasingly provocative coverage as traditional media compete with YouTube channels and other social media sources for clicks, further dimming the prospects for reforms. Kim rose to stardom as a child actor with the 2010 thriller “The Man from Nowhere” and garnered acclaim and popularity for other acting roles. But she was condemned and ridiculed for many aspects of her life after a drunken-driving crash in 2022.