‘Terrace House’ cancels season after Hana Kimura’s death
Fans said pro-wrestler Hana Kimura was a victim of cyber-bullying and died aged 22
Japanese reality show ‘Terrace House’ has halted production on its latest season after cast member and pro-wrestler Hana Kimura died on May 23 at the age of 22.
Kimura, who was a cast member on the current season of the Netflix series, died after a series of troubling social media posts that led fans to believe she had been cyber-bullied. Though not officially confirmed, many believe Kimura’s death to be a suicide; Kimura posted a goodbye on social media shortly before her death on May 23 and allegedly shared graphic images of self-harm prior.
“Regarding ‘TERRACE HOUSE TOKYO 2019-2020’, we have decided to cancel the production. We take this issue very seriously and would like to respond sincerely in the future,” wrote the official ‘Terrace House’ Twitter account in Japanese. They also extended their condolences to Kimura’s family.
‘Terrace House’ is an unscripted TV series where six members — three men, and three women — share a residence and go about their daily lives, often involving themes of friendship, career and romance.
Kimura had reportedly received a flood of hateful messages online after a disagreement with fellow cast member and amateur stand-up comedian Kai Kobayashi, when the latter inadvertently shrunk Kimura’s prized wrestling outfit in the laundry.