In May this year, a professional Japanese wrestler and Netflix star by the name of Hana Kimura took her own life, causing the Internet to blow up and reiterate the danger of ‘cyber-bullying’ – which was perceived to have been the reason behind her self-demise.
Hana had faced critical remarks after she confronted a fellow housemate (on the set of ‘Terrace House’) for inadvertently ruining her clothes.
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After the episode aired, Netizens reportedly began cyber-bullying the female wrestler, with some mocking her for her attitude and appearance, and others asking her to ‘commit suicide’.
Following days of ‘silence’, during which Hana posted several worrying posts (including self-mutilation pictures) on social media, Stardom, a women’s professional wrestling promotion based in Japan, announced on Twitter that the Netflix star has committed suicide.
Stardom fans,
We are very sorry to report that our Hana Kimura has passed away.
Please be respectful and allow some time for things to process, and keep your thoughts and prayers with her family and friends.
We appreciate your support during this difficult time.
— We Are Stardom (@we_are_stardom) May 23, 2020
Thereafter, tributes began pouring in for the late wrestler, and the issue of ‘cyber-bullying’ was critiqued and perused. Things then got pretty quiet…
Until now.
Hana Kimura’s Mum Said Terrace House Producers Provoked Hana to be Confrontational Which Led to the Cyberbullies
Apparently, Hana’s ‘detested’ antic might not have been of her own volition…
But done on someone else’s order.
According to CNA Lifestyle, Hana Kimura’s mother, Kyoko Kimura, has lashed out at the producers of Terrace House for allegedly asking Hana to slap her co-star in the face.
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The revelation was announced in a July 4 article by Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, which Kyoko reportedly talked to. It’s implied that Kyoko had made light of the issue even before her interview with the printed publication.
Apparently, Hana had spoken to her eight days before her demise, stating that producers had urged her to slap her male housemate during the whole hostile ‘dining table’ scene.
The late star, however, decided to knock his hat off his head instead.
Kyoko said: “They seemed to prioritise ratings over Hana’s mental state.”
Network representative Toru Ota has since denied the allegation at a 3 July news conference, stating that Hana had not been asked to slap anyone.
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“Terrace House calls itself a reality show, but the content is not. I want the producers to admit that it was a fiction that invited character assassination,” said Kyoko.
She added that she wished for people to know the truth, and intended to “restore Hana’s honour.”
She also said that she may file a lawsuit against Fuji Television Network, which produced the Netflix reality show.
Terrace House is an unscripted (allegedly) Japanese reality TV show that’s streamed on Netflix.
The show puts six strangers – three men and three women from all walks of life – together under the same roof, and focuses on their interactions as they warm up to and even date each other.
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Thus far, five series and theatrical films have been released. The first series, Boys x Girls Next Door, premiered in 2012, while the fifth and current series, Tokyo 2019-2020, began airing on 14 May 2019.
Hana Kimura joined the crew in the 20th episode and was part of the current cast before the production halted shooting because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The show resumed in May 2020.
For more details, you can read this article here.
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