Moonbin, a member of the popular K-Pop band ASTRO, passed away earlier today. The singer, aged 25 and professionally known as Moonbin, was found in his Seoul apartment earlier today by a band manager after he failed to attend band rehearsals. Moonbin’s cause of death is currently unknown, though sources close to the band have assured their devastated fans that police are investigating the matter.
ASTRO first got off the ground in 2015, with its original lineup – including Moonbin and current band members MJ, Jinjin, Cha Eun-woo, and Yoo San-ha, along with former member Rocky – being selected from a teen talent program run by Fantagio Music, the band’s current agency. Their debut EP, Spring Up, was released in February 2016 and would rise to #6 on the Billboard World Album charts. ASTRO quickly found themselves rising in popularity across Korea and China, leading to a second EP – Summer Vibes – being released in July of that same year and containing the hit song “Breathless.” A third EP, Autumn Story, would follow in November 2016, and Billboard went on to name ASTRO as one of the best debut K-pop bands of 2016.
K-Pop Star Moonbin Passed Away, Causes Currently Unknown
In the seven years since their debut, ASTRO has released three full studio albums – All Light (2019), All Yours (2021), and Drive to the Starry Road (2022). November 2019 would see Moonbin leaving the band on a temporary hiatus that Fantagio attributed to health issues, stating that he would be stepping back to “focus on his treatment.” Moonbin would reappear with ASTRO in February 2020, and it’s unclear if the health issues that prompted his hiatus were at all related to the singer’s death. In a statement released by Fantagio on Twitter, the agency asked fans to hold off on speculating about the matter and to respect his family’s wishes at this time.
“On April 19, ASTRO member Moonbin suddenly left us to become a star in the sky,” the statement reads, translated per E! News. “Although we cannot compare our sorrow to the grief that the bereaved families are feeling, losing a beloved son and brother, the ASTRO members, fellow Fantagio artists, company executives, and employees are deeply mourning the deceased in great sadness and shock.”
“It is even more heartbreaking to deliver this news so suddenly to the fans who have supported Moonbin and sent him their love,” Fantagio continued. “We are heartbroken because we know the feelings of the deceased, who always loved and thought of his fans more than anyone else. According to the wishes of the bereaved families, the funeral will be held as quietly as possible with the family members and company colleagues. Once again, we send our deepest condolences to the deceased.”
In the wake of Moonbin’s passing, Daily Mail has reported the cancellation of the Fan Con Tour, where Moonbin and Yoo San-ha were meant to perform as ASTRO subunit Moonbin & Sanha in May, citing “unforeseen circumstances beyond our control that we could not avoid.”
Moonbin is survived by his bandmates, parents, and younger sister Moon Sua, who is a member of the K-pop girl group Billlie. The family has not released any statements at this time.