LOS ANGELES – K-pop idol Jackson Wang has opened up about his mental health struggles and how he dealt with fame from being in the boy band Got7.
In an exclusive interview with US entertainment portal Entertainment Tonight, the 28-year-old opened up about his time on Got7, which debuted in 2014.
“For the past eight years, I’ve been living the commercial life. I’ve been living with a schedule, show after show. It’s like a loop,” said the Hong Kong-born singer, rapper and host. He is active in both China and South Korea, most recently performing at Coachella in California last Saturday (April 16).
“And that’s why, after eight (to) nine years of it, I got to a point where I lost it mentally. I was lost, I didn’t know what to do.”
He shared that talking to his friends helped him.
“Whenever I was dealing with stress, I used to not talk to anyone because I thought, ‘I’m going to find the solution and work it out.
“But I got to a point where, with the positive energy of the friends around me, who gave me, forced me, sat me down and talked to me, and it’s the first time in my life that I feel that connection. ” he said.
While he’s still part of the popular Got7 (the band is on hiatus as its seven members pursue solo projects), he’s moving forward with a soon-to-be-released album, Magic Man.
He dropped a single, Blow, on March 31.
He said that making music was liberating for him after overcoming his mental health issues.
“The concept and everything is free. I have never been so raw, never in my life.”
SINGAPORE HELP LINES
- Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767
- Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
- Care Corner Advice Center (Mandarin): 1800-353-5800
- Mental Health Institute Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222
- Silver Ribbon: 6386-1928
This article was first published in the times of the straits. Permission required for reproduction.
