Moonbin of K-pop group Astro. Photo: Instagram @officialastro
(UPDATE) Moonbin of the K-pop boy band Astro has passed away. He was 25.
South Korean police said the singer was found dead by his manager in his home in Seoul's Gangnam district past 8 p.m. on Wednesday, K-pop news outlet Soompi reported in the same night.
"We are currently discussing the possibility of an autopsy to determine the precise cause of death," authorities said, as per the Soompi report.
Fantagio Music, the idol's management company, later confirmed his passing in a statement posted on social media.
"On April 19, Astro member Moonbin suddenly left us and has now become a star in the sky," the agency said in a statement that was translated into English by Soompi.
Fantagio added that Moonbin's family wished for a quiet funeral with "close friends and agency colleagues."
Moonbin's younger sister, Moon Sua, is also a K-pop idol and is part of the girl group Billlie.
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Moonbin performing with his younger sister Sua on South Korean music show 'Music Bank.' Screengrab from KBS World TV's YouTube video
Shortly after the news of his death broke, fan groups of other K-pop acts took to social media to offer their condolences.
Last December, Moonbin renewed his contract with Fantagio, along with bandmates Jinjin, Cha Eun-woo and Sanha.
Member MJ's renewal has not been discussed since he is currently serving in the Korean military, while Rocky decided to leave both the agency and group.
Prior to becoming a K-pop idol, Moonbin has been working in South Korea's entertainment industry since childhood. His first notable appearance was in the music video for K-pop group TVXQ's 2006 song "Balloons," where he played a mini version of U-Know Yunho.
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Moonbin along with TVXQ's Yunho on the music video for 'Balloons.' Screengrab from SMTOWN's YouTube video.
Moonbin then ventured into acting in 2009, playing the younger version of Kim Bum's character in the hit drama "Boys Over Flowers."
In 2016, Moonbin debuted as the main dancer and lead vocalist of Astro, which was named as one of the best new K-pop acts of the year by music publication Billboard. He has also been credited as lyricist in some of the group's songs.
The band first went to the Philippines in 2016 for a local staging of the South Korean music program "Show Champion."
In 2020, Moonbin debuted in the Astro sub-unit Moonbin & Sanha. The duo has since put out three extended plays, with the latest — titled "Incense" — being released in January.
Alongside his idol career, Moonbin continued acting, starring in several TV and web dramas.
He also hosted "Show Champion" with Sanha and Verivery's Kangmin from 2020 to 2022, and was cast in the Korean version of "Saturday Night Live."
Earlier this year, Moonbin began embarking on a fan meeting tour for Moonbin & Sanha, which made a stop in the Philippines in March.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News during the tour's Manila stop, the duo hinted at possible solo projects.
"We are very thankful that we were able to reach a point that we have a world tour," Moonbin said at the time.
"At the moment we are focusing on the designated roles that we are doing right now. And we are excited on what is in store in the future," he said.
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