Fans of K-Pop megastar Moonbin have flocked to social media and the streets of Seoul to express their sorrow at the musician’s shock passing this week.
The 25-year-old musician was found dead at his apartment in Seoul’s upmarket Gangnam neighbourhood by his manager at approximately 8:10pm (local time) on Tuesday.
He had failed to attend several rehearsals, which drew concern from his bandmates and manager.
South Korean police have since confirmed the megastar died by apparent suicide, as reported by local media outlet Yonhap News.
“We are currently discussing the possibility of an autopsy to determine the precise cause of death,” police said in a statement to the outlet.
Moonbin had been a member of the enormously popular boy band ASTRO since its formation in 2016.
The South Korean pop star’s passing was announced in a heartfelt post on the group’s Instagram page on Wednesday.
“Moonbin suddenly left us and became a star in the sky,” the post read.
The star had been open about his mental health struggles throughout his career in the limelight, including a battle with anxiety since he was young.
Fans have taken to social media to express their sadness at Moonbin’s passing, with one Twitter user expressing their shock at the star’s death despite his positive on-stage presence.
“You really don’t know what someone’s been going through,” they wrote.
Another fan wrote, “Moonbin you’re so greatly missed thank you for making us smile thru the happy and sad moments of our lives you will continue to make a big impact on us.”
A moving tribute has been erected outside the star’s apartment complex, with purple and white balloons dangling alongside pictures and post-it notes with sweet messages dedicated to the star stuck on the gated wall.
Moonbin was set to kick start a tour with his ASTRO bandmate Yoon San-ha as part of a spin-off duo, which was due to begin next month.
LUMINA Entertainment, the event promotion company behind the tour, confirmed the first stop in Jakarta on May 23 had been cancelled.
“After long discussion and consideration, we have to cancel this event due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control that we could not avoid,” they wrote in a statement.
He is survived by his sister, Moon Sua, who is a performer in South Korean girl group Billie.
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News Source: www.skynews.com.au
