Kpop star and actor Cha In Ha was found dead in his home on December 3, less than two months after the death of Kpop idols Sulli in October and Goo Hara in November.
According to a report by Forbes, SURPRISE U member Cha In Ha was found dead in his home by his manager at the age of 27. However, no further details were released by the police, pending the final results of their investigation.
Cha In Ha, who debuted in the industry as a member of the group SURPRISE U, was doing well in his acting career. Since 2017, he regularly appeared in Korean dramas like Temperature of Love, Queen of Mystery 2, Clean with Passion for Now, Wok of Love, Are You Human Too?, The Banker, and, most recently, Love with Flaws.
While netizens speculated whether Cha In Ha's death was a suicide, his last Instagram post provided some clues into the actor's mood 21 hours before he was found dead. The actor posted a snap of himself inside a coffee shop and used the caption: "Watch out for the cold." However, sources close to the SURPRISE U member said that there was no indication that he was suffering from depression or other mental heath problems.
In light of Cha In Ha's death, his agency, Fantagio, appealed to the public to refrain from spreading false reports and speculations about the actor's death. The agency also disclosed that the funeral will be held privately, according to his family's wishes, Soompi reported.
"We earnestly ask for rumors to not be spread and for speculative reports to not be released for his family, who is experiencing greater sadness more than anyone due to the sudden sad news, to send him away peacefully," the label stated.
Cha In Ha's death shocked many fans since it came at the heels of the deaths of good friends Sulli and Goo Hara. Sulli was found dead in her home on Oct. 14, while Hara was found dead in her Gangnam home on Nov. 24. Both stars had a history with depression, believed to be borne from the pressures of being a celebrity.
The deaths of young Korean celebrities so close to each other has brought the spotlight on the entertainment industry's standards of perfection that place artists under the microscope of the public's watchful eye.
"Artists tend to experience emotions more vividly, and because their job is being loved by the public, they cannot help but be more sensitive to public views," Paik Jong-woo, a psychiatrist and the director of of the Korea Suicide Prevention Center explained in an interview with CNN.
According to Paik, special attention is needed to prevent more celebrities from taking their own lives.
