K-pop singer Moonbin of Astro dies at 25

The singer was found dead in his home Wednesday night

Astro's Moonbin dies at 25. (Fantagio)

Moonbin of K-pop group Astro died on Thursday at the age of 25. The singer was found dead in his home on Wednesday night.

Astro's agency, Fantagio, announced Moonbin's demise through the official fan community on Thursday early morning.

"On April 19, Astro's member Moonbin has unexpectedly passed away," the announcement read.

"The bandmates of Astro and the artists and staff of Fantagio who have known Moonbin for a long time are mourning his death in great grief and shock," it continued.

Expressing condolences, the agency said, "It is heartbreaking to be delivering this notice to fans who have supported and loved Moonbin. We are even more saddened given how much Moonbin has loved and cared for his fans."

Moonbin was found dead by his manager at the singer's house in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, at around 8:10 p.m. Wednesday, the police said Thursday.

The police are investigating the case but suspect suicide. The authorities are considering an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Moonbin, whose real name is written as Moon Bin, debuted as a member of boy band Astro in February 2016. In September 2020, he formed a subunit with his bandmate Yoon Sanha, under which he made his latest comeback in January with the duo's 3rd EP "Incense."

The subunit started its first global concert tour, "Diffusion," in Seoul in March. The next gig had been set for Saturday in Macau.

Moonbin is the older brother of Moon Sua of K-pop group Billlie.

It had been reported that the singer had been having some health issues. On April 7, he delayed his schedule shortly after struggling with a bad condition and dizziness before flying to Thailand for a fan concert. He reportedly conducted the event as scheduled.

During an online livestream with fans following the event, the singer said, "There's something I need to say honestly. It's been tough (for me) recently. I tried to hide it, but I think it showed during the concert."

As fans comforted him, Moonbin thanked them, and said, "I'm trying to work out again and get things back on track now," adding, "I chose this job so I should get better and make Aroha happy." Aroha is the name of Astro's official fandom.

Moonbin's funeral is taking place at Seoul's Asan Hospital. The agency said the funeral will be held privately with family members and colleagues at the family's request.

Fellow colleagues in the entertainment scene, including Astro members, have been offering condolences and paying their respects at the funeral.

According to the agency, members JinJin and Sanha have been with bereaved family members at the funeral altar since early morning.

MJ, who is currently serving in the military, also arrived in the morning after getting a special leave to attend the funeral.

Cha Eunwoo is currently flying in from the US and is set to arrive at around 6 p.m. on Thursday in Seoul.

Moonbin of group Astro died on Thursday at the age of 25. The singer was found dead in his home on Wednesday night.

Astro's agency, Fantagio, announced Moonbin's demise through the official fan community on Thursday early morning.

"On April 19, Astro's member Moonbin has unexpectedly passed away," the announcement read.

"The bandmates of Astro and the artists and staff of Fantagio who have known Moonbin for long are mourning his death in great grief and shock," it continued.

Expressing condolences, the agency said, "It is heartbreaking to be delivering this notice to fans who have supported and loved Moonbin. We feel more sad as we know how much Moonbin has loved and cared for his fans."

Moonbin was found dead by his manager in the singer's house in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, at around 8:10 p.m. Wednesday, the police said Thursday.

The police are investigating the case but suspect suicide. The authorities are considering an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Moonbin, whose real name is written as Moon Bin, debuted as a member of boy band Astro in February 2016. In September 2020, he formed a sub-unit with his bandmate Sanha, under which he made his latest comeback in January with the duo's 3rd EP "Incense."

The sub-unit started its first global concert tour, "Diffusion," in Seoul in March. The next gig had been set for Saturday in Macao.

Moonbin is the older brother of Moon Sua of K-pop group Billlie.

Moonbin's funeral has been set up in Seoul's Asan Hospital. The agency said the funeral will be held privately, with his family members and colleagues, at the request of his family.

*If you’re thinking about self-harm or suicide, contact the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s helpline 1393, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

By Choi Ji-won(jwc@heraldcorp.com)