The death of 22-year-old pro wrestler Hana Kimura started a conversation about online harassment that has some Japanese politicians talking about cyberbullying laws, and much more immediately, it has begun to have consequences for Terrace House. Kimura performed on the reality show from September 2019 until it went on a production hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic, and received increasing harassment as the show went on, which she mentioned in social media posts shortly before taking her own life.
Terrace House‘s distribution was quickly paused after Kimura’s death, and earlier today, the show announced that it will not resume production on its current season. The rest of the already-filmed episodes also will not be broadcast on Fuji TV, and no further episodes of the season will be released internationally on Netflix.
The show also released a statement about Kimura’s passing, saying, “The news of Hana Kimura’s passing has made us speechless. We respectfully offer our deepest condolences to her family, and pray from the bottom of our hearts for her happiness in the next world.” Cast members from the 2019-2020 season and past seasons have commented on Kimura’s death, some mentioning that they experienced similar harassment from viewers during their time on the show.
Terrace House has aired since 2012, with seasons taking place in different areas of Japan (Tokyo, Kanagawa, and Nagano) and one season set in Hawaii. The show’s premise is that six strangers live in a house together (always three men and three women) and form friendships and romantic relationships as they pursue their life goals, with their actions analyzed and joked about remotely by a panel of entertainment personalities.
