The apparent suicide of a second K-pop artist in a month has cast renewed focus in South Korea on vicious personal attacks and cyberbullying of vulnerable young stars, and how it mostly goes unpunished. 
 
The police consider cyber violence a serious crime and have an active programme educating the public how not to fall prey to online attacks, or to become the perpetrator. 
 
Charges laid are steadily on the rise with nearly 150,000 cases last year, but they form just a minuscule portion of what goes on and there is no good recourse for the victims in a country once touted as one of the most wired on earth, police say. 
 
"It`s rather simple with physical violence, as the victim can go see a doctor, but with cyber violence, there is no cure," says Jeon Min-su, a cybercrime investigator with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. 
 
K-pop singer<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/ex-member-of-k-pop-girl-group-found-dead-yonhap-264266"> Koo Hara was found dead </a>in her home on Sunday and the police found a handwritten note despairing about her life. She had been subjected to vicious attacks online about her relationships with men, local media said. 
 
Koo had spoken out against cyber bullying. She was found unconscious at her home in May and hospitalised, and a month after the incident she said she was suffering from depression and vowed to fight malicious online comment. 
 
Koo was friends with the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/k-pop-singer-decries-cyber-bullying-after-death-of-activist-star-sulli-256365">K-pop star Sulli,</a> who was found dead in October, who was also outspoken against cyber bullying. 
 
The Korean pop music world is popular across Asia but has a dark underbelly. Earlier this year, several male K-pop stars and one of the industry`s biggest producers were questioned by police in connection with illegal gambling and prostitution. 
 
Kwon Young-chan, comedian-turned-counsellor who has himself been a victim of online violence, said stars have little recourse when they come under attack and it is almost impossible to avoid rumours and personal attacks. 
 
"When the perpetrators write vicious comments, they first begin with a `light tap` and the scale of cyber bullying then intensifies to a `punch`", he said in an interview. 
 
The rumours and personal attacks online make their way into the stars` personal lives, Kwon said. 
 
Both Sulli and Koo had been with girl bands and later broke out on their own, which made them more vulnerable, Kwon said.&nbsp;"After the artists began performing solo, they had to deal with depression and attacks against them all on their own." 
 
Member of parliament Park Sun-sook, a former presidential spokeswoman who first addressed the issue of online attacks in 1998, wants to make it possible for anyone to ask web portals to take down malicious or blatantly false comments. 
 
"Young stars are exposed with no defence to cyber violence. It`s time for the law and the society to protect them," she told Reuters.

The apparent suicide of a second K-pop artist in a month has cast renewed focus in South Korea on vicious personal attacks and cyberbullying of vulnerable young stars, and how it mostly goes unpunished.

The apparent suicide of a second K-pop artist in a month has cast renewed focus in South Korea on vicious personal attacks and cyberbullying of vulnerable young stars, and how it mostly goes unpunished. The police consider cyber violence a serious crime and have an active programme educating the public how not to fall prey to online attacks, or to become the perpetrator. Charges laid are steadily on the rise with nearly 150,000 cases last year, but they form just a minuscule portion of what goes on and there is no good recourse for the victims in a country once touted as one of the most wired on earth, police say. "It`s rather simple with physical violence, as the victim can go see a doctor, but with cyber violence, there is no cure," says Jeon Min-su, a cybercrime investigator with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. K-pop singer Koo Hara was found dead in her home on Sunday and the police found a handwritten note despairing about her life. She had been subjected to vicious attacks online about her relationships with men, local media said. Koo had spoken out against cyber bullying. She was found unconscious at her home in May and hospitalised, and a month after the incident she said she was suffering from depression and vowed to fight malicious online comment. Koo was friends with the K-pop star Sulli, who was found dead in October, who was also outspoken against cyber bullying. The Korean pop music world is popular across Asia but has a dark underbelly. Earlier this year, several male K-pop stars and one of the industry`s biggest producers were questioned by police in connection with illegal gambling and prostitution. Kwon Young-chan, comedian-turned-counsellor who has himself been a victim of online violence, said stars have little recourse when they come under attack and it is almost impossible to avoid rumours and personal attacks. "When the perpetrators write vicious comments, they first begin with a `light tap` and the scale of cyber bullying then intensifies to a `punch`", he said in an interview. The rumours and personal attacks online make their way into the stars` personal lives, Kwon said. Both Sulli and Koo had been with girl bands and later broke out on their own, which made them more vulnerable, Kwon said. "After the artists began performing solo, they had to deal with depression and attacks against them all on their own." Member of parliament Park Sun-sook, a former presidential spokeswoman who first addressed the issue of online attacks in 1998, wants to make it possible for anyone to ask web portals to take down malicious or blatantly false comments. "Young stars are exposed with no defence to cyber violence. It`s time for the law and the society to protect them," she told Reuters.

Cyber bullying, star suicides: The dark side of South Korea's K-pop world

A former member of South Korea's top <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/k-pop-singer-decries-cyber-bullying-after-death-of-activist-star-sulli-256365">K-pop </a>girl group was found dead on Sunday, the country's Yonhap news agency reported citing police.

The body of Goo Hara, 28, was discovered at her home in southern Seoul, Yonhap said.

Police were not immediately available for comment.

Goo, better known as Hara in other parts of Asia, had spoken out against cyberbullying. In June, a month after she was found unconscious at her home and hospitalised, she said it was difficult to overcome depression and pleaded for the positive comment on social media.

She debuted with the five-member Kara in 2008. It was one of the early girl groups that helped fan the global K-pop wave, building large fan bases in Japan, China and other countries.

After a deal with a South Korean management agency was terminated, Goo launched a career as a solo artist in Japan and held a concert there this month.

Another K-pop star, Sulli, a former member of girl group f(x), who was a close friend of Goo's and had also spoken out against cyberbullying, also died in October.

A former member of South Korea's top K-pop girl group was found dead on Sunday, the country's Yonhap news agency reported citing police. The body of Goo Hara, 28, was discovered at her home in southern Seoul, Yonhap said.

A former member of South Korea's top K-pop girl group was found dead on Sunday, the country's Yonhap news agency reported citing police. The body of Goo Hara, 28, was discovered at her home in southern Seoul, Yonhap said. Police were not immediately available for comment. Goo, better known as Hara in other parts of Asia, had spoken out against cyberbullying. In June, a month after she was found unconscious at her home and hospitalised, she said it was difficult to overcome depression and pleaded for the positive comment on social media. She debuted with the five-member Kara in 2008. It was one of the early girl groups that helped fan the global K-pop wave, building large fan bases in Japan, China and other countries. After a deal with a South Korean management agency was terminated, Goo launched a career as a solo artist in Japan and held a concert there this month. Another K-pop star, Sulli, a former member of girl group f(x), who was a close friend of Goo's and had also spoken out against cyberbullying, also died in October.

Ex-member of K-pop girl group, singer Goo Hara found dead: State media

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Cyber bullying, star suicides: The dark side of South Korea's K-pop world

Ex-member of K-pop girl group, singer Goo Hara found dead: State media