S. Korean pop star Sulli dies
Actress and ex-member of K-pop group f(x), 25, was a vocal feminist.
Sulli, a South Korean pop star, actress and girl group f(x) alum, was found dead Monday in her home. She was 25. Sulli’s body was discovered after her manager visited her residence in Seongnam, South Korea, because she wasn’t answering phone calls for hours, said Kim Seong-tae, an official from the Seongnam Sujeong Police Department, according to the Associated Press.
Although the police investigation into the “Goblin” artist’s death is “still ongoing,” Kim confirmed to AP that there was no evidence of foul play or a suicide message, though police told CNN that a note — the contents of which are still unknown — was found at the scene. Security camera footage at Sulli’s home also showed no signs of an intrusion, Kim told the AP, adding that authorities “won’t make presumptions about the cause of death.”
“So far, it seems she killed herself, but we will leave all possibilities open and investigate,” a police official told CNN.
Sulli, whose legal name is Choi Jinri, got her start in the entertainment industry as a child actress, appearing in South Korean TV dramas and movies. She later pursued music in 2009 as a member of the five-girl K-pop group f(x) before leaving the outfit in 2015.
SM Entertainment, Sulli’s agency, said in a statement that her death was “very hard to believe and sorrowful,” and f(x) member Amber J. Liu announced to fans that she would be taking a break from work in the wake of the news.
“Due to recent events i’ll be putting on hold my upcoming activities,” Liu tweeted on Monday. “Sorry everyone. Thank you for your thoughts.”
Sulli was known for speaking out against criticism she received online, according to AP, as well as acting as a rare mouthpiece for feminism in conservative South Korea.
She most recently appeared in the South Korean drama series “Hotel Del Luna.”