On November 13, Sulli's posthumous documentary 'Dear Jinri' was released on Netflix, which is part of her final work 'Persona: Sulli.'
'Dear Jinri' is a poignant documentary that delicately delves into the life and psyche of Choi Jinri (Sulli) as an individual. Presented in an interview-style format, Sulli personally guides viewers through the layers of her persona, providing an unfiltered perspective on her introspections. Viewers are provided an unparalleled insight into the profound intricacies of Sulli's experiences, thoughts, and emotions.
Sulli laid bare her struggles and confessed, "Since I was young, I felt confined by the word 'Beautiful.' Whenever people would say 'you're beautiful,' I wondered why they were saying that to me. I was curious about what thoughts led them to call me beautiful. It felt like I was expected to only engage in pretty behavior, and if I didn't appear delicate or like a pretty child, I would get in trouble."
When asked the question, "Do you consider idols as laborers?" she pondered for a while and answered, "Yes," and further explained, "It seems like (everyone) doesn't think of entertainers as human beings. When I started my career as an entertainer, there was a prevalent narrative I heard the most. At that time, I didn't realize how strange it was. It was, 'You are a product, and you must exist as the best, top-tier product for people.' Even if people didn't explicitly say I was a product, everyone treated me as one. I had to move according to their tastes, and I had to fear that my product value might decrease."
Sulli also shared, "There were many times when I disliked my pretty self. In the environment I grew up in, I heard things like 'You were born as a beautiful girl, so you don't need to know anything' and 'Just sit among people and go along to their moods. If you do that, people will like you. You're inherently interesting just by being pretty.' I thought a lot about appearance."
Following the premiere of 'Dear Jinri,' many netizens were heartbroken and expressed grief. They commented, "Sulli...I miss you," "I think she would have lived happily as an ordinary person with more freedom rather than as a celebrity," "Even after this, people would still criticize idols who are currently active if they said things are challenging," "Her last words are making my heart feel heavy," "This is so sad," "I feel idols are still living that kind of life, and Sulli, in particular, seemed to have lived under even more pressure," "My heart hurts," "I can feel that she contemplated by herself so much. This is so sad, and I miss you," "I am sorry for thinking she was just another pretty person without know that she thought this deep," "She was a deep thinker and a smart person," and "Celebrities really seriously needs a union...or punishment for malicious commenters...Everyone talks about others but those who go too far in their comments should be held accountable. I miss Jinri and the others too."