K-pop star Moon Bin was found dead at his home at the age of 25, his agency revealed on Thursday.
The singer, a member of the popular boy band ASTRO, is reported not to answer his manager on Wednesday night in Seoul.
Police are currently investigating the cause of death but have not yet found signs of foul play, Yonhap news agency reported. Officials from the Seoul Gangnam District Police Station did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Moon Bin’s music label, Fantagio, confirmed his death in a statement Thursday.
“On April 19th, ASTRO member Moonbin suddenly left our world and became a star in the sky,” the agency said on its official Twitter page. It said that fellow artists mourned him in a state of “very deep sadness and shock”.
“Please refrain from making speculative and malicious reports about the family of the victims who unexpectedly received this sad news, and may they mourn with reverence,” the statement said.
The family will hold the funeral with friends and colleagues as privately as possible, he said.
The statement did not contain any information about the cause of death.
Local media reported that one ASTRO member had urgently retired from the country’s armed forces, and another cut short a trip to the US following the news.
Moon Bin, born on January 26, 1998, was an actor and model before joining ASTRO. The six-member group debuted in 2016 after the members appeared on a popular reality show.
It quickly achieved success in both South Korea and Japan, with Billboard listing ASTRO as one of the top 10 new K-pop groups of that year.
The group has released three full-length albums, 10 EPs and two singles. Hits include “Candy Sugar Pop”, “All Night”, “Crazy Sexy Cool” and more.
Moon Bin was also a member of the duo Moonbin & Sanha. On Wednesday, their promoter announced the cancellation of their show in Indonesia “due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control.”
His sister, Moon Sua, is also a K-pop celebrity, having been a member of the girl group Billie. The group has canceled or postponed all scheduled activities following the death of her brother, just like other K-pop figures.
The unexpected loss caused an outpouring of shock and sadness on social media, with fans thanking Moon Bin for his work and expressing their sympathy.
Moon Bin’s death is the latest such case among prominent young celebrities in South Korea, a trend that has prompted the country to reflect on the pressures stars face in a booming entertainment industry, toxic online fan culture and attitudes towards mental health.
Last week, actress Jung Chae Yul was found dead in her apartment at the age of 26.
South Korea has the highest rate of suicide deaths among countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Celebrities in South Korea face many challenges, said Kwang-min Lee, professor at the Seoul National University College of Medicine and director of Mind Lab Space Space, a mental health clinic in Seoul.
They often live in “closed environments as companies limit their privacy and many of their activities,” he told NBC News. “They also find it difficult to request and manage mental health support, as it can also turn into gossip that people will talk about.”
According to Lee, celebrities, music labels and the country’s society tend to be prejudiced against therapy, which is why many of them remain silent instead of seeking help.
These issues, according to Lee, are often exacerbated by internet fandom culture, which can be toxic.
If you or someone you know is in a crisis, call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Helpline. You can also call the network formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Line at 800-273-8255write HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.