PHOTO:South Korean singer Moon Bin of Astro at a Chanel event in Seoul on January 26, 2023 The
K-pop star Moon Bin, a member of the boy band Astro, has died at the age of 25, his music label Fantagio said Thursday, as fans reacted with grief and shock.
In a statement on Instagram, Fantagio said Moon Bin “suddenly left us and became a star in the sky.”
The star was found dead in his home in southern Seoul by his manager at around 8:10 p.m. Wednesday night, according to an official at Gangnam Police Station.
Gangnam police told CNN Thursday that authorities believe Moon Bin had taken his own life. “No signs of foul play have been found related to this case,” police added.
Social media was filled with condolences as fans expressed their upset at the celebrity’s death.
The hashtag #moonbin on Twitter was trending globally with over 2.6 million tweets with pictures and tributes, some posts written in English, Spanish, Indonesian, Tagalog and Thai.
In its statement, Fantagio said the sorrow of the star’s bereaved family was “incomparable.”
“All Astro members, Fantagio colleagues, executives and employees who’ve been together for a long time are deeply mourning the deceased in such great sadness and shock,” the music label said.
The statement said it was heartbreaking to tell fans the sudden news, saying that the late star had “always loved and thought of the fans more than anyone else.”
It also asked people to “refrain from speculative and malicious reports” while the family grieved.
Moon Bin debuted with Astro in 2016. The other members of the group are Jinjin, MJ, Cha Eun-woo and Yoon San-ha.
He also performed as part of a subgroup called Moon Bin & Sanha, which toured in Asia in recent months.
Prior to his death the duo had been expected to perform next month in Busan, as part of the port city’s bid to promote the 2030 World Expo, and in Jakarta on May 13.
Moon Bin entered the entertainment industry as a child actor, making his debut in 2009 in the Korean Broadcasting System TV drama “Boys Over Flowers.” The series was widely popular and its dubbed version aired globally, gaining lots of fans from Southeast Asia.
His sister, Moon Sua, is also a K-pop celebrity, performing as part of the girl group Billlie. (CNN)
•PHOTO:South Korean singer Moon Bin of Astro at a Chanel event in Seoul on January 26, 2023. The Chosunilbo JNS/ImaZins/Getty Images
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