ASTRO Moonbin passes away at 25: Remembering pop singer-actor's journey
What's the story
The Korean pop and entertainment world was rattled by the news of the untimely demise of singer Moonbin late Wednesday night (per IST). The singer, actor, model, and dancer, aged 25, was a part of the band ASTRO and had been active in the industry since 2009. His label Fantagio said, "Moonbin unexpectedly left our world and became a star in the sky."
Death
Moonbin was found dead at his home in Seoul
Trigger warning: Mention of suicide. Moonbin was found "unresponsive" by his manager in his Seoul apartment on Wednesday. Per reports, police said, "He appears to have taken his own life but an autopsy is being reviewed to determine the exact cause of death." Further, Fantagio has asked fans to "refrain from speculative and malicious reports" and allow privacy to the bereaved family.
Career beginnings
He shot to acclaim through the show 'Boys over Flowers'
Bin's first major acting credit came in the form of the hit young adult Korean show Boys over Flowers (2009), which co-starred notable Korean actors such as Lee Min-ho and Koo Hye-sun. He further went on to act in Forever Young (2014), To Be Continued (2015), The Ultimate Watchlist of Latest Trend (2018-2019), The Mermaid Prince (2019), and Moment of Eighteen (2019), among others.
Singing
He was a member of ASTRO since 2016
In 2016, Bin debuted as a member of ASTRO. Some songs that he worked on as a lyricist include Let's Go Ride, One & Only One, Merry Go Round, and You and Me, among others. He had also been associated with ASTRO's sub-unit Moonbin & Sanha, and in 2020, was also nominated for Entertainer of the Year-Male at APAN Music Awards.
Tributes
Fans have been paying tributes to their favorite singer
K-pop fans have taken to social media to pay their respects to "Binnie," with "Rest in Peace" trending on top on Twitter on Thursday morning. Some people posted pictures from a beautiful memorial organized in his honor, while some wrote extensively about the need of taking care of one's mental health. "Your light will shine on forever," read a condolence tweet.
Twitter Post
Take a look at the memorial photos
rest in peace, you are loved bin-ah 🥺pic.twitter.com/XLv7Cu8U9W
— ⋆ (@ughT___T) April 20, 2023
Help
Please seek help if you're having suicidal thoughts
If you or anyone you know is suffering from suicidal thoughts, you can reach out to AASRA for suicide prevention counseling. Its number is 022-27546669 (24 hours). You can also contact the Hyderabad-based Roshni NGO at +914066202000 or COOJ at +918322252525. Sneha India Foundation, which works 24x7, can be contacted at +914424640050. Vandrevala Foundation also has trained counselors, and its contact number is 18602662345.