K-pop singer Wheesung found dead, aged 43

K-pop singer and songwriter Choi Whee-sung, better known as Wheesung, has died. He was aged 43.

The star was found in his home in Seoul, South Korea last night (March 10) according to local police. While an official cause of death has not been shared, police in the city have said that a considerable amount of time had passed before his body was discovered and that there are no indications of foul play.

News of his death was confirmed last night by his agency, Tajoy Entertainment. A spokesperson said that the passing of the artist had left staff and fellow artists “in deep sorrow”.

“The artist Wheesung has left us. He was found in cardiac arrest at his residence and was later pronounced dead,” they added.

According to The Korea Times, the singer was found unconscious in his northern Gwangjin-gu apartment around 6:30pm and emergency services entered the residence after receiving a call from his mother.

Wheesung had his breakthrough back in 2002 with his R&B debut album ‘Like A Movie’, and went on to make a name for himself in the K-pop scene with his fusion of pop, hip-hop and R&B. It was his impressive vocals and heartfelt ballads that put him on the map.

He suffered a setback in his career in 2021 when he was convicted of unprescribed use of propofol – a surgical anaesthetic that is sometimes recreationally abused. He faced one year in prison and was suspended for two years. Following this, he continued to perform but did not reach the same heights in his ticket or album sales. As highlighted by The Guardian, it was an overdose of the drug that was cited as the cause of Michael Jackson’s death.

Wheesung was set to perform alongside KCM in Daegu this weekend. His final message on social media read: “Weight loss completed. See you on March 15.”

There have been tributes paid across social media following news of his passing. Rapper Paloalto took to Instagram Stories to share a screenshot of one of Wheesung’s songs and recall going to see his first live performance. “It’s shocking and sad. I’m thankful for the music that accompanied me through the good memories of my youth,” he added.