Kim Ji-hoo
Encyclopedia
Kim Ji-hoo was an openly gay South Korea
n actor and model.
drama series
Before and After Plastic Surgery, and on family sitcom The Unstoppable High Kick. On April 21, 2008, he came out
as a gay man on the tvN reality show Coming Out, a series which profiles the lives of LGBT
Koreans. Shortly after the episode aired, Kim's personal webpage was inundated with messages denouncing his sexuality. Several fashion shows and television programmes cancelled his appearances, while his management company declined to renew his contract.
, on October 6, 2008. A suicide note found at the scene read: "I'm lonely and in a difficult situation. Please cremate my body." Kim's mother said that he "underwent many professional and personal difficulties following his coming-out", while police attributed his suicide to public prejudice against homosexuality. Days before taking his life, Kim wrote on his web site: "Life is like the wind. What's there to agonise over? Meetings are happy, partings are sad, everything is just a moment." His funeral service was on October 9, 2008.
Kim's death was one of a series of celebrity suicides in South Korea, which included the earlier deaths of fellow actors Ahn Jae-hwan
and Choi Jin-sil
.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n actor and model.
Career and coming out
Kim made his debut as a fashion model in 2007. Regarded as "one to watch", he later appeared as a guest on the MBCMunhwa Broadcasting Corporation
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
drama series
Korean drama
Korean drama refers to televised dramas, in a miniseries format, produced in the Korean language. Many of these dramas have become popular throughout Asia and have contributed to the general phenomenon of the Korean wave, known as "Hallyu", and also "Drama Fever" in some countries...
Before and After Plastic Surgery, and on family sitcom The Unstoppable High Kick. On April 21, 2008, he came out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
as a gay man on the tvN reality show Coming Out, a series which profiles the lives of LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
Koreans. Shortly after the episode aired, Kim's personal webpage was inundated with messages denouncing his sexuality. Several fashion shows and television programmes cancelled his appearances, while his management company declined to renew his contract.
Death
Kim hanged himself at his home in Jamsil, southern SeoulSeoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, on October 6, 2008. A suicide note found at the scene read: "I'm lonely and in a difficult situation. Please cremate my body." Kim's mother said that he "underwent many professional and personal difficulties following his coming-out", while police attributed his suicide to public prejudice against homosexuality. Days before taking his life, Kim wrote on his web site: "Life is like the wind. What's there to agonise over? Meetings are happy, partings are sad, everything is just a moment." His funeral service was on October 9, 2008.
Kim's death was one of a series of celebrity suicides in South Korea, which included the earlier deaths of fellow actors Ahn Jae-hwan
Ahn Jae-hwan
Ahn Jae-hwan was a South Korean actor.His wife was comedienne Jung Sun-hee.Ahn was found dead in his car on September 8, but the exact time of his death has not been revealed. It is considered to be a case of suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. He was 36 years old.-External links:* at HanCinema...
and Choi Jin-sil
Choi Jin-sil
Choi Jin-sil was a South Korean actress. She was considered one of the best actresses in South Korea, nicknamed "The Nation's Actress"...
.