ASTRO member and K-pop boy band star Moonbin, 25, found dead at his apartment, confirms police
GANGNAM-GU, SEOUL: South Korean police have confirmed that K-pop star Moonbin was found dead at his apartment in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. He was 25. According to YonHapNews Television, his manager discovered him at 8.10 pm on April 18 after he failed to attend rehearsals. Moonbin was a singer, actor, dancer, and model, best known as a member of the boy band 'ASTRO' and its sub-unit, Moonbin and Sanha.
In a statement shared on ASTRO's official Instagram account, their record label Fantagio Music expressed their profound sadness and shock over the loss of Moonbin. They wrote, "On April 19, Astro member Moonbin suddenly left us and became a star in the sky. Although it cannot be compared to the grief of the bereaved families who lost their beloved sons and brothers, the ASTRO members who have been with us for a long time, as well as our Fantagio fellow artists and executives, are deeply mourning the deceased in great sadness and shock."The statement continued, "It is even more heartbreaking to deliver the sudden news to the fans who have supported Moonbin and sent him generous love. I am more heartbroken because I know the heart of the deceased who always loved and thought of his fans more than anyone else." The label also announced that the funeral will be held privately, with Moonbin's friends, family, and colleagues in attendance, reported Daily Mail.
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MoonBin and ASTRO's rise to fame
MoonBin, a former child model in South Korea, first appeared in a music video in 2006, starring in TVXQ's 'Balloons.' He had been a trainee of Fantagio since fifth grade, and in 2015, he and his fellow ASTRO members debuted on the South Korean TV drama 'To Be Continued.' A year later, in February 2016, ASTRO officially debuted in the music scene with six members and released their five-song album, 'Spring Up,' featuring the hit single 'Hide & Seek.' That same year, they were recognized as one of the best new K-pop acts by Billboard. Some of the group's popular hits include 'Candy Sugar Pop,' 'All Night,' 'Crazy Sexy Cool,' and 'Blue Flame.'
In May 2022, ASTRO released their latest album, 'Drive To The Starry Road.' Earlier this year, member ROCKY left the group, and Fantagio Music confirmed that ASTRO would continue as a five-member group in the future. MoonBin is also the older brother of Moon Sua, a member of the K-pop girl group Billie. In 2019, MoonBin went on hiatus due to health-related reasons but returned in 2020 to continue his career with the group.
Upcoming tours canceled
MoonBin collaborated with fellow ASTRO member Sanha to release their new album, 'Incense,' on January 4. The duo was set to perform in Macau on Saturday as part of their DIFFUSION tour, which started with a two-day concert in Seoul on March 18 and 19. Unfortunately, their upcoming stop in Jakarta, Indonesia on May 23 has been canceled due to unforeseen circumstances beyond their control.
According to LUMINA Entertainment, the event promoter, "After long discussion and consideration, we have to cancel this event due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control that we could not avoid." Tragically, MoonBin passed away before the upcoming Dream Concert, where he was scheduled to perform as part of the ASTRO unit Moonbin&Sanha. The 2023 Dream Concert, which will serve as the closing ceremony of the 2023 World Climate Industry Expo in Busan from May 25 to 27, is still set to take place.