K-pop star Goo Hara was found dead on Sunday at her home in Seoul, South Korea. She was 28.
Goo, whose real name was Goo Ha-ra, and also known under the single name Hara, was a former member of the five-part girl group Kara from 2008 to 2015.
After that she launched a solo music career, and also accumulated a number of film and TV roles.
According to Variety, one of the many trades to report, the police have not yet issued an official report about her death.
The troubled singer apparently attempted suicide in May this year after an ex-boyfriend attempted to blackmail her with threats of assault and the release of a sex video.
In June, she signed a new contract with leading talent management agency Production Ogi in Japan, where Kara had enjoyed huge popularity. Under Ogi, Goo appeared on TV shows and major fashion events in Japan.
She also released a solo Japanese single Midnight Queen on Nov. 13.
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It has also been reported that Hara’s close friend Sulli, committed suicide in October. A teary-eyed Hara responded on social saying she was doing okay.
According to Variety, there has been a succession of deaths among young K-pop talent since the late 1990s. Many reportedly have complained of depression, while others have indicated more concrete signs of a highly toxic industry that, behind the glamorous and shiny exterior, tramples on human dignity.
In 2009, actress Jang Ja-yeon died by suicide, leaving a note claiming that she had been sexually abused by powerful figures in the entertainment industry. Others suffered depression due to online criticism about their appearances, personality and their private lifestyles.
Tributes Pour In
According to CNN, a number of Hara’s fans gathered to mourn Goo at a makeshift memorial in front of the hospital where she was taken in Seoul’s Gangnam district.
One, Lee So-jin, told the network she came “at once” when she heard about Goo’s death. Lee, 25, said she studied music and called Goo “my strength when I was having a tough time in school.”
In an Instagram post remembering Goo, fellow K-pop singer Kahi, who led the girl group After School before going solo, said that stars needed more protection from the pressures of fame.
“Another sun sets today,” she said. “Don’t forget that someone is always praying for you, RIP.”
