Pianist Lim Dong-hyek was taken to the hospital on Monday hours after posting a message on social media that appeared to suggest an intent to harm himself, prompting a police response.
Seoul Seocho Police reported receiving a report of concern for Lim's safety at approximately 8:30 a.m., according to Yonhap News Agency. Following the report, officers were sent to an address in Seocho-dong, southern Seoul, where they found Lim and arranged for his transportation to a nearby medical facility.
Lim began receiving medical treatment, with his condition reported to be stable and no immediate threat to his life.
At 7:34 a.m. that morning, the 41-year-old shared a message on Instagram, including several photos of a handwritten letter. The letter contained a confession of his long battle with severe depression and an expression of thanks to his supporters. The language prompted worry among followers and acquaintances.
“Throughout my life as a performer, I have suffered from severe depression, and since 2015 I have taken antidepressants every single day without fail," the pianist wrote.
“In fact, the reason many performers are prone to becoming mentally fragile is that after receiving applause from thousands of people, they then return alone to a hotel room, and the sense of dissonance that comes from that is simply too great," he continued.
“Especially in my case, it may have been even harder to endure because I am someone who is innately very prone to loneliness. Because of that, I relied heavily on alcohol and also enjoyed drinking and nightlife. But in the end, music was everything to me."
Lim rose to prominence after placing third at the 2005 International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, Poland, alongside his older brother, Lim Dong-min, a breakthrough widely credited with sparking a surge of public interest in classical music performers in Korea.
He later went on to place in several of the world’s most prestigious piano competitions, including the Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Queen Elisabeth competitions, becoming one of the first classical musicians in Korea to develop a large mainstream fan base.
In recent years, Lim has faced personal and legal difficulties. In 2020, he was indicted on charges related to purchasing sexual services at a massage establishment in southern Seoul’s Gangnam. In September this year, a district court assessed him with a fine of 1 million won ($680).
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