Korean singer Wheesung found dead
Korean singer Wheesung (Choi Whee-sung) was found dead at his home in Gwangjin in Seoul, South Korea on March 10. He was 43.
According to the police and fire department, Wheesung was found unconscious in an apartment at about 6:29 p.m. KST, Korean media reported.
Based on the circumstances at the time of discovery, the police and fire department said Wheesung had been dead for quite some time. They are investigating the cause of his death.
Wheesung (Instagram)
The poster for the joint concert of Wheesung and KCM (Instagram)
“There have been no signs of criminal activity, such as external intrusion, so far. We are investigating whether there was a note and the specific circumstances of his death,” the police said.
His agency, Tajoy Entertainment, issued a statement about his death.
“Our artist Wheesung has left us. The deceased was found in cardiac arrest at his home in Seoul and was pronounced dead,” it said.
It added, “The bereaved family, fellow artists, and employees of Tajoy Entertainment are all mourning the deceased with heavy hearts at the sudden news. We will provide separate information about the funeral.”
Wheesung was set to hold a joint concert with Korean singer KCM on March 15 at Daegu EXCO Auditorium in South Korea.
He debuted as a solo artist in 2002.
In addition, he participated as a songwriter for tracks of many K-pop artists including Super Junior, BoA, T-ara, TVXQ, SHINee and Girls’ Generation, and recorded original soundtracks for Korean dramas such as "Moon Embracing the Sun" and "It's Okay, That's Love."
In March 2021, the Daegu District Court in South Korea convicted Wheesung for abusing propofol, an injectable anesthetic.
The court sentenced Wheesung to one year in prison suspended for two years. He was also ordered to do 40 hours of community service, attend 40 hours of drug therapy lectures and pay a fine of 65 million won (about $44,678).
In its decision, the court said Wheesung “is a famous celebrity who has been loved by the public and had to set an example because of his social influence but he did not."