Moonbin, one of five members of f K-pop group ASTRO, was found dead Wednesday at his home in Seoul. He was 25.
A spokesperson for the Seoul Gangnam Police Station said in a statement to local media that the singer’s death is being investigated as a suicide.
“Moonbin suddenly left us to become a star in the sky,” read a message to fans from ASTRO’s label Fantagio Music. “Although we cannot compare our sorrow to the grief that the bereaved families are feeling, losing a beloved son and brother, the ASTRO members, fellow Fantagio artists, company executives and employees are mourning the deceased in great sadness and shock.”
The company urged fans not to speculate on the cause of death.
Moonbin, whose birth name was Moon Bin, made his debut in ASTRO in 2016. He had a brief hiatus from the group from late 2019 to early 2020, due to an unspecified illness. His younger sister Moon Sua is a member of K-pop group Billlie.
Astro released its third studio album Drive To The Starry Road last year.
The K-Pop scene has been rocked by deaths – many by suicide – in recent years. Kim Jong-hyun of SHINee died in 2017 at 27. In 2019, former f(x) member Sulli died at 25; former Kara singer Goo Hara was found dead at 28; and Surprise U's Cha In Ha died at 27. In 2020, Yohan of K-Pop act TST died at 28.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, click here to talk to someone.