A third Korean popstar has been found dead in the space of just three months, prompting concerns about the country's entertainment industry.
Agents of 27-year-old singer and actor Cha In Ha confirmed the member of the K-pop group Surprise U was found dead in his home yesterday.
They released no details about the cause of his death but asked that speculation be avoided to allow his family to grieve in peace.
Cha's death comes just 10 days after K-pop singer Goo Hara was found dead in her home.
Police found a handwritten note in Goo's home in which she despaired about her life.
A few weeks earlier her close friend and fellow singer Sulli took her own life.
The deaths of both women drew attention to toxic fan culture in Korea, as both artists were subjected to online abuse.
Their deaths followed the shock suicides of Jongyun, a member of the group SHINee, in 2017, and Ahn So Jin from Baby Kara in 2015.
The deaths sparked debate in South Korea about the cut-throat nature of the industry, which is controlled by powerful entertainment firms that pluck teenagers from obscurity and promise big success.
The contracts these firms use can be demanding and highly restrictive — and deliver very little in the way of payment during years of intensive training.
