South Korean Star Dies at 43

Yet another South Korean star has died, in what the New York Times calls "the latest in a string of tragedies to strike the country's booming entertainment industry." Wheesung, who put R&B on the map in South Korea over the course of a career that spanned two decades, was found in his Seoul apartment on Monday evening in cardiac arrest, and pronounced dead at the age of 43, per Variety. The singer-songwriter had publicly struggled with drug abuse—with a notable 2021 conviction of buying and using propofol, the sedative that killed Michael Jackson—and police are investigating his death as a drug overdose with an autopsy planned.

The Times notes that, unlike in the United States, "In South Korea, the social standing of celebrities usually hinges on having a blemish-free reputation and blameless character." The credits of Wheesung, real name Choi Whee-sung, include a dozen albums, writing for hugely popular K-pop acts, a popular cover of Craig David's "Insomnia," and appearances as Elvis Presley and Zorro in musicals. He was set to perform with singer KCM in Daegu this weekend, per the Guardian. His last social media post went thusly: "Weight loss completed. See you on March 15." Said South Korean rapper Verbal Jint, "Every moment we spent together was an honour and I'm thankful. You've worked so hard. Rest in peace, Wheesung." (More K-pop stories.)