Sunflowers and white roses crammed the desk on the makeshift memorial for the late Ok-pop star Moonbin on the entryway of Alternative Music in Koreatown. The file retailer is in a tucked-away third-floor nook of the Koreatown Galleria at Olympic Boulevard and Normandie Avenue, however all day on Thursday grieving followers stopped by to go away small notes of appreciation for the 25-year-old singer, who died this week.
“You at all times keep in my life, I’m making an attempt to attach the dots,” one wrote, quoting his group Astro’s tune “Pricey My Universe.” “Now I can hear you, I can really feel you modify my world.”
“I really like you a lot, I’m so sorry you have been hurting,” wrote a fan named Steph. “I’ll love you perpetually and extra. Relaxation in peace, Bin.”
Moonbin, a beloved youthful member of the veteran boy-band Astro and older brother of Moon Sua of the group Billie, died at his residence within the Gangnam district of Seoul, the place he was discovered Wednesday.
Korean outlet Yonhap Information reported that Seoul police mentioned, “It seems that Moonbin took his personal life. We’re at present discussing the potential for an post-mortem to find out the exact reason behind demise.”
In an announcement, Astro’s administration mentioned that “Though we can’t examine our sorrow to the grief that the bereaved households are feeling, shedding a beloved son and brother, the Astro members, fellow Fantagio artists, firm executives and workers are mourning the deceased in nice unhappiness and shock.”
The group Billie introduced they have been canceling their upcoming tour dates and appearances.
Moonbin in January 2023.
(The Chosunilbo JNS / ImaZins by way of Getty Photographs)
Inside the shop, 22-year-old Gigi Hamar cried and consoled a pal who had come to pay respects. Others stood quietly in entrance of the memorial desk and remembered a star recognized for his shut friendships with different artists.
“I keep in mind one second the place one other idol had collapsed on stage and Moonbin was proper there to assist him,” Hamar, 22 mentioned. “Everybody knew him and everybody was associates with him.”
“He was a super-positive particular person,” mentioned 18-year-old Anna Biasi. “You’ll be able to see that he was a superb man simply from the best way he was together with his sister.”
Although Ok-pop fandom primarily circulates on-line, when tragedy strikes, followers nonetheless yearn for a bodily place to congregate. On Thursday, the workers of Alternative Music, a small retailer promoting information, merchandise, magazines and posters of Ok-pop stars, tamped down their very own unhappiness to offer some solace for followers.
“We’ve skilled loss as a Ok-pop neighborhood earlier than, and that’s a second that all of us rally round, as a result of it hurts everybody,” mentioned Kika Chatterjee, 27, who works the counter at Alternative and helped arrange the memorial. “’I’ve shared so many deeply private moments with prospects who have been beforehand strangers. So I’m grateful for the chance for connection to individuals who really want it proper now.”
“Moonbin was very shut with a whole lot of different artists that our buyer base enjoys,” mentioned Alternative staffer Lily Dabbs, 25. “I’m a giant fan of Astro’s oldest member, MJ. That they had a extremely good connection the place Moonbin was, like, MJ’s child, and he was at all times there to raise him up each time he was down. Moonbin did the identical factor for his followers.”
A makeshift memorial at Alternative Music in Koreatown.
(August Brown / Los Angeles Occasions)
The deaths by suicide of Ok-pop singers Sulli of f(x) and Jonghyun of SHINee have led to some reflection within the trade concerning the grueling work schedule and social isolation of its idols.
“Psychological well being is an ongoing wrestle,” Dabbs mentioned. “It’s so arduous to know what we or the businesses may do.”
“One of many first steps is normalizing remedy,” Biasi mentioned. “Numerous idols have already began speaking about their experiences with remedy. That’s a superb step.”
On Thursday night, as a bunch of half-dozen followers knelt down to put flowers and write notes at Moonbin’s tribute at Alternative, they have been glad to to have a spot to go to mark the loss and discover neighborhood to grieve with.
“We should always keep in mind his gentle, the music and all the great issues,” mentioned Ariana Mendoza, 18. “We shouldn’t simply concentrate on his passing, but in addition let folks know who he was and what he stood for.”
