Sulli, 25-Year-Old K-pop Star, Found Dead at Her Home in South Korea

Wire Service
By Wire Service
October 14, 2019Entertainment
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Sulli, 25-Year-Old K-pop Star, Found Dead at Her Home in South Korea
South Korean pop star and actress Sulli poses during the K-Beauty Close-Up event in Seoul, South Korea on Sept. 30, 2015. (Jang Se-young/Newsis via AP)

A former member of top South Korean girl group f(x), who had spoken out against cyberbullying, was found dead on Oct. 14, police said.

The body of Choi Jin-Ri, better known by her stage name Sulli, 25, was discovered on the second floor of her house in Seongnam, south of the capital, Seoul, police said.

“Her manager visited her home after failing to reach her since their last call the night before,” police said in a statement.

Sulli, 25, was grappling with severe depression, police said.

“So far, it seems she killed herself, but we will leave all possibilities open and investigate,” a police official said.

Sulli debuted with the five-member f(x) in 2009. It became one of the most popular girl groups in South Korea and helped fuel the global K-pop craze.

Sulli
Singer Sulli attends Tory Burch Spring 2016 at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on Sept. 15, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Tory Burch)

She left the group in 2015 and launched a career as a solo singer and actress.

The South Korean star, who has a total of over 6 million followers on Instagram, acted in numerous television dramas and movies.

Most recently, she appeared on a television program in which K-pop stars discussed their experiences with malevolent online comments.

K-Pop

Korean pop music—or K-pop—is one of the country’s biggest exports in the past decade.

Many of its stars—known as idols—train for years, honing their singing, dancing and acting skills, while also learning other Asian languages, before they are even allowed to debut their first song.

Stars of the genre are subject to intense pressure, which has been linked to a mental health crisis in the industry.

K-pop megastar Jonghyun, whose real name was Kim Jong-hyun, ended his own life in Seoul in December 2017.

Kim Jong-hyun
Kim Jong-hyun, a member of South Korean K-pop group SHINee, poses for the media before a showcase for the group’s album “1 of 1” in Seoul, South Korea on Oct. 4, 2016. (Lee Jin-man/AP Photo)

And singer and actress Goo Hara, formerly part of girl band Kara, apologized to fans after being found unconscious at home in May 2019.

The singer had posted the word “Goodbye,” to her Instagram account, prompting a rush of comments from concerned fans.

Suicide Prevention

If you or someone you know is showing signs that they might be suicidal, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 800-273-TALK. You can also text the Crisis Text Line at 741741.

For those living anywhere else the International Association for Suicide Prevention and Befrienders Worldwide can provide contact details for suicide help.

Reuters and The CNN Wire contributed to this report.

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