South Korean Television Network Cancels series after contestant hangs herself.
South Korean broadcaster SBS has canceled a popular dating show Jiak, (means “mate” in Korean), after a female contestant committed suicide on set.
According to the police report, the 29-year-old woman, identified as Jeon, hung herself with a hairdryer cord in the bathroom guest house in which the show is filmed.
The television series is similar to Big Brother but features seven men and five women living together and competing for dates. The house is filled with cameras in every room and the contestants face off at various games and physical challenges to win a date.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jeon told her mother on the phone that she felt ashamed of the way she was going to appear on the television series and would not be able to live in South Korea if the show aired. Fellow contestants commented that Jeon was sought after by several men but near the end of the series many of the men had a change of heart and decided to pursue other contestants. She reportedly complained to friends that the show’s producers were trying to portray her has an unpopular “tragic type”.
Since the reality contestant, Jeon’s death, local news reports have criticized the show for bullying contestants, including a rule that requires contestants to eat meals alone when they are rejected by potential dates.
“We have decided to close the show,” SBS said in a public statement of apology to viewers, denying responsibility but saying it is taking steps to prevent similar incidents.
It is important to note that South Korea has the highest suicide rate in the developed world, at 28 people per 100,000.
