The entertainment industry is in shock after the sudden passing of ‘R&B Crown Prince’ Wheesung. His colleagues were unable to hide their grief at the sad news, which was delivered just five days before his concert, and fans are continuing to pay their respects on social media.

According to the music industry on the 11th, the Gwangjin Police Station requested an autopsy from the National Institute of Scientific Investigation (NIS) regarding Wheesung‘s death and plans to conduct it on the morning of the 12th. The police are also analyzing his cell phone in order to investigate the specific time and circumstances of death.

It has been reported that the bereaved family has decided to proceed with cremation immediately after the autopsy. Earlier, an official from his agency, Tajo Entertainment, stated, “The bereaved family is so shocked and saddened that we are unable to proceed with the funeral,” and “In accordance with the family’s wishes, we plan to hold a quiet, private funeral with only family, relatives, and acquaintances in attendance.”

Wheesung was found collapsed in an apartment in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul at around 6:29 p.m. on the 10th and was unable to open his eyes. It has been reported that no signs of a crime, such as signs of external intrusion, have been found.

The sudden death of Wheesung, who had recently shown his will to continue his activities, has caused even greater sadness both inside and outside the music industry.

Wheesung was scheduled to hold a joint concert, ‘The Story’, with fellow singer KCM at the Daegu Expo Auditorium on the 15th. The day before his death, he had returned to Korea after completing his personal schedule in China to prepare for the concert. He also posted on his SNS on the 6th, “Finished dieting. He expressed his anticipation for the concert, saying, “See you on March 15th.”

When news of his death spread, KCM, who was preparing for a joint concert, expressed his bewilderment on SNS, saying, “Let‘s meet on the 15th. I’m sorry, Seong-ah.” The organizer of “The Story” will also urgently cancel the concert and issue refunds to the audience.

In addition, rapper Verbal Jint, singer Yoon Min-soo, and 2AM Changmin expressed their condolences through SNS, saying, “Every moment we spent together was an honor” and “I will not forget your clear and pure heart.” Groups such as STAYC and iChillin, who are scheduled to make a comeback, postponed their promotional schedules to join the memorial.

Meanwhile, Wheesung, who debuted as a soloist in 2002, is considered the main player who popularized the R&B genre on the K-pop stage. “Can‘t I... He has numerous hit songs such as ’ ‘With Me’ ‘The Day We Met Again’ ‘Incurable Disease’. In 2021, he was sentenced to probation for illegal propofol use and took some time for self-reflection, but recently returned and is preparing for various activities.


Reporter Yoo Ji-hye yjh0304@donga.com

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.