South Korean R&B and K-pop singer Wheesung has been found dead, according to reports. He was 43.
The body of the singer, born Choi Whee-sung, was discovered at his home in Seoul on Monday, local police confirmed to The New York Times and South Korea’s Yonhap News. Authorities told the outlets there were no signs of foul play. A cause of death has not been determined, but a Seoul Gwangjin Police officer told the Times they were investigating the potential of a drug overdose.
USA TODAY has reached out to South Korean police for comment.
Wheesung, who also went by the stage name Realslow, released his first solo album, “Like A Movie,” in 2002, and his second album, “It’s Real,” was released the following year.
He released nearly a dozen studio albums and EPs during his career and starred in musicals, including stints as Zorro in “Zorro” and as Elvis in “All Shook Up.”
“Artist Wheesung has left us. He was found in cardiac arrest at his residence and was later pronounced dead,” his agency, Tajoy Entertainment, told Yonhap News in a statement, adding staff were “in deep sorrow.”
In 2021, Wheesung was convicted of habitual propofol use, an anesthetic sedative. He received a one-year prison sentence and a two-year suspension, according to the outlets, causing his career to be tarnished.
His death follows that of the South Korean actress Kim Sae-ron, who was reportedly found dead at her home by a friend and presumed to have died by suicide. She was 24.
The friend, who was going to meet the actress, discovered her and called police, Yonhap News Agency and The Korea Times reported. Police found no foul play or note left by Kim, according to the outlets.
The South Korean star was known for her roles in movies like “A Brand New Life” and “The Man from Nowhere.” She most recently appeared in the Netflix series “Bloodhounds,” which debuted in 2023.
In 2022, her acting career took a hit after she was involved in a drunk driving incident. In a statement on Instagram at the time, Kim apologized for making a “big mistake in a drunken state,” according to a translation from the Korean entertainment website Soompi.
“I have no excuses for this unfortunate incident and I feel so ashamed and disappointed in myself for the mistake I made,” she said at the time. “I will deeply reflect and reflect again to ensure that something like this never happens again. I’m sorry.”
This story has been updated to include additional information.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental and/or substance use disorders, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s free and confidential treatment referral and information service at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). It’s available 24/7 in English and Spanish (TTY: 1-800-487-4889).
Contributing: Brendan Morrow
Leave a Reply