Moonbin: K-pop star dies at 25, here is the alleged cause of death

TW: mentions of suicide and cyberbullying

The singer of the K-pop group Astro died at the age of 25, of causes still unknown officially to this day. However, a police official told the AFP that suicide is the most probable cause of death, which the autopsy should confirm or deny, and they added that there was no sign of a criminal act. Moonbin was found unconscious in his South Korean home on Wednesday evening.

Moonbin's label company, the Korean Fantagio label, took to their official Twitter account on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, to announce the death of the beloved Astro singer and K-pop superstar. In a statement in Korean, Fantagio wrote:

On April 19, Astro member Moonbin unexpectedly left our world, becoming a star in the sky.

The cause of death is yet to be confirmed

The South Korean label Fantagio stated that all Astro members are coming back to Seoul on Thursday to gather for Moonbin's wake. The label also asks fans and media to wait before making assumptions about the star's cause of death.

Refrain from speculative and malicious reports so that his family can pay tribute and honour him in peace.

The South Korean star, who also performed in a subgroup called Moonbin & Sanha, had joined the label's trainee program at a young age, before making his debut in the world-famous band, Astro, in 2016. His sister, Moon Sua, is also a K-pop star in the girl band Billie. The two siblings had explained in several interviews how close they were. Jeff Benjamin, a K-pop expert for Billboardsaid the singer's possible suicide comes as a surprise, especially since he was very active even during the week preceding his death.

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The latest in a wave of K-pop stars suicides

Unfortunately, Moonbin is not the only K-pop star to have suddenly passed away in recent years. In fact, two female singers died mysteriously in 2019, though their suicides have not been confirmed. Artist Goo Hara reportedly committed suicide at the age of 28 after being the victim of revenge porn from her ex-boyfriend. Her close friend, Sulli, also a K-pop star, allegedly took her own life after several attacks on social media. In 2017, superstar Jonghyun committed suicide after struggling with depression for years.

The K-pop industry has been criticized for being too harsh, as it generates cyberbullying and crushing pressure to always look and act flawlessly. The AFP reveals that South Korea is one of the countries with the highest suicide rates in the world, as it is the main cause of death for those under 40, according to official government numbers.

Rob Schwartz, an Asia correspondent for Billboard Magazine, told the BBC:

Certainly, stars in the West can more or less keep who they're dating a secret. In the K-pop world, it's impossible to keep a secret. Every time they lift a foot, thousands of lines are written about it.

He also added:

K-pop artists don't really have a life outside being a pop star. They start training at a very young age. They don't go to school or make regular friends. It's really hard for them to see life outside the K-pop world.

This article has been adapted from Oh!MyMag FR.

Read more:Cyberbullying: K-pop Star Sulli Found Dead In Her Home

Sources used:

Twitter

AFP: K-Pop : le chanteur Moonbin est mort à l'âge de 25 ans, selon son label

Billboard: K-Pop Star Moon Bin of ASTRO Dead at 25

BBC: Moonbin: K-pop star dies at age of 25 in suspected suicide