In the music industry, stars are treated like machines, told to produce album after album with some to no freedom. They pour everything they can into a single release, sending it out into the world to hopefully be praised. But it’s when the music is instead attacked, the fruit of success at completing the album begins to taste sour.

Death is a constant, it’s something that will happen to all of us at one point or another. But when it happens to celebrities, people are in disbelief, they believe that those musicians, actors, sports stars or anyone are untouchable.

The recent suicide of former f(x) member, soloist and actress Sulli has rocked people to their core. Sulli died on the backs of malicious comments from people who only wanted to tear her down. Translations of her final Instagram live show present her pleading with people to stop the hatred.

“I’m not a bad person, I’m sorry. What did I do to deserve this?”

Many other stars from around the globe have committed suicide the same thing. Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell, Shinee’s Jonghyun, KARA’s Hara and Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington are just the tip of the iceberg of those who took their own lives in the past five years alone. The top of the world seemingly becomes a lonely place when you think about it.

Being seemingly untouchable seems to come at a high price in the music industry. The amount of hatred these artists receive is unacceptable. I’m not saying that there shouldn’t be criticism concerning music releases, but comments shouldn’t be intended to attack them personally.

From a lack-luster album to a less than impressive acting performance, the general public will find any “acceptable” reason to attack other stars while defending the ones they adore in any way they possibly can. Still, it’s not just performances are critiqued and attacked.

Trolls will do anything to try to get on the nerves of today’s biggest stars.

From the kind of clothes they wear, the physical appearance of their children and even their bubble tea orders, celebrities are unable to escape the pressure slowly closing around them. Many of today’s biggest acts battle with mental illnesses, many more could be suffering in silence due to stigma around depression and anxiety itself. Already drowning in worries from their daily activities, they have to worry about what fans will say about anything they love and enjoy.

If this continues, many more artists just like Sulli will continue to drown in hatred until the surface of salvation isn’t visible anymore.

So stop the hatred towards artists you don’t like. You’re allowed to not like a song, album or performance, but that doesn’t give you the right to go and attack them just based on non-art related subjects. The anonymous power behind comments shouldn’t give you the right to attack other people.

Please remember on the other side of the music, there is a real person with emotions and actions just as valid as ours. Musicians and artists alike aren’t your personal punching bags for your frustration or disappointment. They’re real people.