As the world mourns ASTRO Moonbin’s sudden passing, similarities between him and Sulli, who also died at 25 years old, were pointed out.
Recently, fan were shocked by the news of ASTRO Moonbin’s sudden passing at the age of 25. According to a Naver News article on the early morning of April 20th, the male idol was found dead at his residence in Gangnam, Seoul at 20:10 (KST). His manager was the one who discovered the situation and reported it to the police.
Moonbin’s passing reminds many people of the story of Sulli (Choi Jin Ri) from 4 years ago, and netizens cannot help but feel heartbroken over the unexpected similarities between the two.
Male singer Moonbin was confirmed to have passed away at his private residence.
From child actors to K-pop idols
Both Sulli and Moonbin began their careers in the entertainment industry at a very young age. With a cute appearance since childhood, Moonbin caught the attention of many directors. By the age of 6, Moonbin was already a model and child actor, and became familiar to many audiences. In fact, he once played the younger version of So Yi Jung (Kim Bum) in the hit drama “Boys Over Flowers”, and also appeared in some music videos, leaving a strong impression.
Despite having a successful acting career, Moonbin chose to pursue his passion for singing and became a member of the boy group ASTRO. In 2016, Moonbin debuted with ASTRO, captivating fans with his handsome, radiant looks and warm smile, as well as excellent vocals and dancing skills.
From a child actor, Moonbin started to pursue an idol career
Sulli, on the other hand, started her acting career when she was in 4th grade. Her first role before becoming a professional singer was when she played Princess Sun Hwa in the 2005 drama “Ballad of Seodong”. At the time, the audience was impressed by her innocent look, bright smile, and natural acting.
Later on, in a public audition, Sulli caught the attention of the SM Entertainment chairman. From then on, Sulli’s life changed as she was trained to become a shining star. She also debuted with the girl group f(x) and was adored by many, becoming a “model idol” with a polite, talented, and beautiful image that endeared her to everyone. However, the public was quick to turn their backs against Sulli, as she departed from her group and tried to shed away this “model” image.
Both lives tragically end at 25
Four years ago, Sulli’s death became a shock to many fans. The idol-actress passed away at the age of 25, in an apartment in Sujeong District, Seongnam City on October 14th, 2019. Just two days before her passing, Sulli shared about a new work she just received on Instagram, and even shot a commercial just the day before. It took Sulli’s manager, unable to contact her, to go to the idol-actress’ residence and discover the situation.
Sulli had faced a lot of public pressure about her private life, and was often associated with words like “beautiful” and “rebellious.” In particular, after leaving f(x), Sulli started to live in a carefree manner by doing what she liked, from wearing bold clothings to doing un-idol-like things. However, this made her a “national outcast” who was constantly criticized, and suffered from mental health issues. Unable to overcome the psychological pressure, Sulli chose to end her life at the age of 25.
Similar to Sulli, Moonbin’s career and life also came to a stop at age 25. While the male idol’s cause of death was not specified, the police suspected that Moonbin made a drastic choice. It seems that despite always boasting a bright appearance, Moonbin endured a lot of pressure.
At an age where they should have been enjoying childhood with friends at school, Sulli and Moonbin found themselves in the harsh and cold entertainment industry, where they have no choice but to force themselves to be strong, to mature and become wiser under the limelight.
The two’s passing is a huge loss. However, the images of Sulli and Moonbin will live on forever in the hearts of their fans, and their presence was able to save a lot of people.
Source: Yan
