K-pop star Goo Hara found dead in Seoul

Korean celebrity entertainer Goo Hara, formerly a member of the girl group Kara, passed away at the age of 28, South Korean police said Sunday.

Her body was discovered in her apartment in southern Seoul, authorities added. The cause of death was still under investigation.

Goo had completed a mini-tour in Japan and released a Japanese-language single, "Midnight Queen," earlier this month. The shows were widely seen as a comeback for the singer after a reported suicide attempt in May.

The K-pop star was hospitalized in May after her manager found her, unconscious, in her home. The day before, the singer had posted the word "Goodbye" on her Instagram account. She had been engaged in a public row with her ex-boyfriend, who has threatened to release a sex video.

String of suicides

The 28-year-old singer also complained of depression and spoke out against cyberbullying. Her close friend, fellow singer and actress Sulli, is believed to have committed suicide in October.

"I hope Jin-ri is now in a place where she can do whatever she wants," Goo wrote on her Instagram page at the time, using Sulli's real name.

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death for young South Koreans. A string of celebrity suicides in recent years sparked a discussion on the pressures and public scrutiny faced by Korean entertainers from a young age.

"It is almost as if these deaths are 'part of the show' and are reported as such," Emanuel Pastreich, director of the Seoul-based Asia Society, told DW's Julian Ryall last month.

If you are suffering from emotional strain or suicidal thoughts, seek professional help. You can find information on where to find help, no matter where you live in the world, at this website: www.befrienders.org.

dj/sms (AP, AFP, Reuters)

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