South Korean pop star, Choi Sung-bong has been found dead in an apparent suicide at the age of 33.
The singer was found by police at his home in the Yeoksam-dong district of Seoul at 9.41am on Tuesday, June 20, according to The Korea Times.
It comes just two years after he was exposed for lying about having multiple types of cancer and asking fans to donate cash for his treatment.
After it was revealed to be a hoax, he apologised and promised to return any donations.
He wrote: ‘From 2011 to the present, I have been receiving attention and love from so many people. I sincerely thank you and express my gratitude.’
He went on to apologise for the 2021 scam: ‘I am sincerely sorry for my foolish mistakes and those who have suffered damage, and I have repeatedly made mistakes.
‘For the past two years, we have returned all those who have asked for a return of donations.
‘I have no regrets about the journey of life that I have lived brilliantly. I have lived to the best of my ability and tried to have happiness every day.
‘I am sincerely sorry to the many people who have been harmed because of me… I’m sorry to the many people who helped me.’
The singer released a number of singles, including Slowcoach in 2016, Tonight in 2021 and I PRAY in 2022.
Choi also wrote a memoir after his rise to fame, exploring his impoverished upbringing and telling how he dropped out of music school due to financial worries.
In his audition for Korea’s Got Talent, he revealed he was left in an orphanage aged three but said he ran away after being beaten at just five years old.
He said he had lived homeless since then, moving around from place to place on his own. He added that singing was the one thing that had brought him joy during this immensely troubling time.
Despite saying that he wasn’t a good singer, Choi brought the judges to tears with his emotional and powerful performance.
His death comes just a week after South Korean actress Park Soo Ryun died aged 29 after falling down a set of stairs while returning home.
