Popular K-pop singer and songwriter Choi Whee-sung, better known by his stage name Wheesung, was found dead in his home in Seoul, South Korea Monday night, according to local police.
The cause of death has not yet been determined. Seoul police said a substantial amount of time had passed before his body was discovered and there were no signs of foul play at the scene.
The artist’s agency, Tajoy Entertainment, issued a statement Monday night saying, “The artist Wheesung has left us. He was found in cardiac arrest at his residence and was later pronounced dead.” The company said that its fellow artists and staff were “in deep sorrow.”
Known for his powerful vocals and emotional ballads, Wheesung debuted in 2002 with the hit r&b album Like a Movie. His fame rose over the years that followed as he worked across genres, blending r&b, pop and hip-hop. But his career took a devastating hit in 2021 when he was convicted of regular, unprescribed use of the powerful anesthetic propofol. He received a one-year prison sentence, suspended from two years. He continued to perform in the wake of the incident, but no longer commanded the same crowds or music sales.
According to local newspaper The Korea Times, Wheesung was discovered unconscious in his apartment in Seoul’s northern Gwangjin-gu district at 6:29 p.m. Emergency responders entered his home after responding to an emergency call from his mother.
The singer had been scheduled to meet his manager earlier in the day, but didn’t show up and couldn’t be reached. His mother, who lives in the same apartment building, went to check on him and found him unresponsive.
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