List of 22 K-Pop Idols That Died Under the Age of 40 Because Accidents, Suicides, and Illnesses

15. Lee Eun-ju – 24

 

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December 22, 1980 – February 22, 2005

Lee Eun-ju was a South Korean actress. She landed her first character on the infamous Korean director Hong Sang-soo’s movie entitled Virgin Stripped Bare By Her Bachelors.  Her appearance has been mesmerizing she left quite the impression in the opinion of Korean filmmakers.

Her livelihood became steady and promising as she performed actor Lee Byung-hoon in Bungee Jumping of Their Own (2001) and Cha Tae Hyun in the hit melodrama, Lover’s Concerto (2002). The prominent actress starred in a lot of other titles before she had been reported dead in 2005.

It was stated that her function in The Scarlet Letter at the latter year of 2004 had taken a toll on her. In the movie, Lee had to go through a nude scene that haunted her. It was revealed from her family that throughout that year, Lee had been suffering from intense depression, mental illness, and sleeplessness.

16. Kwon Rise – 23

 

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August 16, 1991 – September 7, 2013

Kwon Rise, called Rise, was a member of a climbing K-Pop woman group Ladies’ Code. The van the group was riding crashed into a guardrail due to speeding onto a rain-drenched road. Rise and EunB were those impacted with fatal accidents. EunB sadly was declared dead on arrival at the hospital while Rise was rushed for emergency brain surgery the same time. After the surgery, Rise remained unconscious. She finally went to mind collapse four days later and died. Her last performance with the group was during the promotion of Kiss Kiss, a single from their first complete record later making much success with several singles.

17. Go Eun-bi – 22

 

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November 23, 1992 — September 3, 2013

Move Eun-bi, called EunB, was the only member of Ladies’ Code who died on the scene of the crash. Grow expired four days afterwards, while Ashley, Zuny, and Sojung sustained moderate to heavy accidents. EunB’s final performance together with the group has been additionally Kiss Kiss.

Interestingly, some enthusiasts mentioned that the audio video somewhat had predicted that the death of EunB. There was a scene where the members were seeing a dead guy in a coffin. When EunB was the sole visiting, the guy woke up and awakened to give EunB a kiss. EunB literally received a’kiss of death’. Can it really be?

18. Ahn So-jin — 22

 

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May 25, 1992 — February 24, 2015

Ahn So-jin was to debut for a girl group member, but she had gained her fame through DSP Entertainment’s KARA Project in 2014. She had been one of the most obvious contestants as well as a candidate to be chosen as the new member of mature girl-group KARA although eventually the place moved to Heo Young-ji. Ahn committed suicide by jumping from her apartment balcony.

She was found unconscious in the garden beside the building but neglected to be treated as she passed away on the way to the hospital. Ahn was called a fantastic leader and a mature individual. Her ultimate choice caused shock to many. Fans, however, pointed out that her suicide could be prompted by her era, whereas 22 years old was considered too old to be starting in the business. But no certain motive was stated yet.

19. Seo Jae-ho (Wanted) – 22

 

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November 16, 1981 – August 11, 2004

Seo Jae-ho was a part of a boy group Wanted. The singer met his death when he had been involved in an auto crash in 2004. He had been driving into the recording studio at that time. Police ruled that Seo might have been tired while driving and therefore he lost control of the wheel. The team became a 3-member group after his passing and allegedly with only one complete album entitled Much like the very first .

20. Kang Doo-ri – 22

 

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January 28, 1993 – December 14, 2015

Kang Doo-ri was a rising actress in the appearance on Sassy Go Proceed along with the fun mukbang (eating show) host. She stunned the Korean entertainment world when she was reported dead due to an auto accident.

Or it had been thought so. Police went farther into the investigation and found out that the accident had been really a suicide. Before taking her life away, Kang had texted her buddy stating that she would put her life to an end. She had been suffering from “poor private problems” she didn’t feel she had the capability to conquer.

21. Kim Daul – 20

 

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May 31, 1989 — November 19, 2009

Kim Daul was, even if not the worst, the most promising South Korean model for the global modeling sector at her time. She was just 17 years old when she posed for the cover of Vogue Korea. Her sharp saying and charming air was definitely her most memorable virtues.

She had been the face of Korea for its international eye. She had been a blogger and a painter, too. Everything a woman dreamed to be. Not getting any older than 17, Daul had the international spotlight on her and her alone.

The young model partnered up with several notable titles, such as Karl Lagerfeld, Vivienne Westwood, Chanel, Alexander McQueen and Christopher Cane after making her international catwalk debut at the Paris Fashion Week in 2007. But more profound than the fame and the glam, Kim Daul was trapped and lonely.

Kim Daul took her own life. She had been found hanging and dead in her Parisian apartment on November 19, 2009. It was revealed that she felt pressured by the business and that she kept fighting with her boyfriend without being able to walk away in the connection. Before her death, she posted a few messages that resonated with her final choice.

October 26:”So many times I jumped but did not.” October 30:”Mad miserable and overworked, the more I get, the more lonely it is. I know I’m just like a ghost.” November 15:”Oh but how lonely it is. Now and then.” November 18, Kim’s last post:”Say hello to eternally.”

22. Kim Jong-hyun “SHINee” — 27

 

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Kim Jong-hyun, the lead singer of the hugely popular and powerful South Korean boyband SHINee, has died at the age of 27. The star, better known as Jonghyun, was found unconscious at his home in Seoul on Monday evening at an apparent suicide, South Korean media reported.

Jonghyun’s death was confirmed by his administration company, SM Entertainment, which said:”We are sorry to share such heartbreaking and tragic news… SHINee’s Jonghyun left us suddenly.” .

Police arrived at Jonghyun’s apartment after receiving an emergency call from his sister, according to South Korean press. The singer had been taken to a nearby hospital and was later pronounced dead, authorities said.

The Yonhap bureau reported that Jonghyun’s sister had received a text message from her brother shortly before his departure that read:”Please allow me to go. Tell me I did well. Last farewell.

Fourteen days before his death, Jonghyun sent a 47-line text into his buddy, Jang Hee-yeon, a fellow musician from the band Dear Cloud, who goes by the name Nine9, with the request to place to social media”if he fades from the world.” . The message stated:”I am broken from inside. The blues that slowly ate me has eventually swallowed me whole. I could not conquer.  I loathed myself. Holding on to evaporating memories and screaming at it to awaken. There was no answer. If I can not breathe, it is better to stop.
Throughout his career he collaborated with a number of other Korean artists and also hosted his own radio show on the Korean station MBC. Jonghyun last appeared in public at a solo concert at Seoul on December 2017.