Seoul - A contestant in a South Korean reality show has been found dead after apparently hanging herself, police said.
The 29-year-old woman identified only as Jeon was taking part in a reality dating programme called Jjak (“partner”) when she died, the Chosun Ilbo daily reported on Thursday.
Another contestant and the show's producer found her hanging in the bathroom of her accommodation early on Wednesday on the resort island of Jeju.
A diary found on the floor of the bathroom reportedly said she was having a “hard time” and no longer wanted to live.
The programme broadcast by SBS features seven men and five women who spend several days together in a bed and breakfast.
All the rooms in the accommodation are fitted with cameras to record the participants except the bathroom.
Contestants who do not find a partner on the show are forced to eat their meals alone.
“Jeon was apparently popular during the initial stage of filming and a male participant even showed interest in her, but she fell in popularity as filming continued,” a police spokesman said.
The producer of the programme said there was no undue pressure on the contestant during the filming, but said the company expressed “deep remorse” for her death.
South Korea's suicide rate reached 28.1 per 100 000 people per year in 2012, Statistics Korea said. The rate has more than tripled since 1992, the Korea Herald reported this week. - Sapa-dpa