What happened to Choi Wheesung? Tributes pour in as South Korean Singer dies at 43

South Korean singer Choi Wheesung has passed away due to a cardiac arrest. The 43-year-old singer was found unconscious in his Gwangjin-gu residence by his mother on Monday night at 6:29 pm local time. The authorities initially indicated there were no signs of forced entry and were investigating both the possibility of suicide and possible drug overdose.

His representatives from Tajo Entertainment issued a statement, saying that the entire company is "in deep sorrow" in light of the Insomnia singer's passing. According to AllKpop, the translated statement reads:

“We are deeply saddened to deliver such heartbreaking and tragic news. Our artist Wheesung passed away on March 10th. He was found in cardiac arrest at his home in Seoul and was later pronounced deceased."

The company has urged fans to refrain from engaging in online speculations and requested privacy for his grieving family.

"As the bereaved family is in deep shock and grief, we sincerely request that unverified rumors and speculative reports be avoided. Once again, we extend our deepest condolences as we bid farewell to Wheesung."

They also stated,

"We are truly heartbroken to share this devastating news with fans who have continuously shown Wheesung their unwavering love and support. We ask for your prayers so that he may rest in peace."

According to a report by The Korea Times, Wheesung was set to meet his manager earlier on Monday. However, after his manager was unable to reach him, his mother, who lives in the same apartment, went to check on him, only to find him lying unconscious. According to reports by the BBC, his body was discovered a "significant amount of time" after the incident occurred.

Choi Wheesung was scheduled to perform on 15 March in a concert with singer KCM at the Daegu EXCO Auditorium. In light of Wheesung's sudden passing, the concert has been canceled. KCM's agency, A2Z Entertainment, issued a statement to South Korean media outlet OSEN:

"KCM and Wheesung were scheduled to hold a joint concert in the provinces on the 15th, but today we heard the news of Wheesung’s passing. We are also in a state of great shock right now. After the tragic news was reported, we were informed by the concert organizers that the concert had been officially canceled,”

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Looking back at the life and career of Choi Wheesung

South Korean singer Choi Wheesung was born on 5 February 1982 in Seoul. He made his debut in 2002 with his album Like a Movie and quickly established himself as one of the top R&B singers in the country with the release of his second album, It's Real.

Throughout his career, Wheesung released a series of hit singles like Even Thought of Marriage, With Me, Insomnia, Can't I, Night and Day, and Incurable Disease. However, despite early success, he faced a series of setbacks due to issues related to his drug use.

In 2013, Wheesung was investigated by the police for the alleged illegal use of propofol. Later, in March 2020, he was found unconscious on several occasions in public spaces after he had injected himself with Etomidate. His legal troubles continued when the court issued him two years of probation for habitual propofol use.

The sudden death of the singer, who also was known by his stage name Realslow, has left fans and fellow artists in shock, with many taking to social media to pay their respects.