[imagesource:twitter/nbc]

Choi Sung-bong, a male singer who was the runner-up in the 2011 edition of “Korea’s Got Talent” talent show, was found dead at his home in the Yeoksam district in southern Seoul on Tuesday. Authorities have confirmed his death to be a suicide.

Their conclusion of suicide was confirmed by a combination of circumstances at his home and a note that he posted to YouTube implying death by suicide.

The disgraced singer had apparently posted a video online in which he apologised, saying “I sincerely apologize to all who suffered from my foolish mistake.”

Choi narrowly missed out on winning Korea’s Got Talent after performing an operatic version of Ennio Morricone’s Nella Fantasia. The loss didn’t deter the young man and he soon signed a record deal with the Korean Bong Bong Company. He released three albums, a handful of singles and also published a memoir about his rise from a poor background.

In 2021 Choi revealed that he was suffering from ‘several forms of cancer’, and a huge outpouring of support followed which included massive amounts of money.

Choi claimed that he was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, hypothyroidism, and thyroid cancer from the remnants of cancer that he had when he was seventeen. He updated his fans through his social media while ‘receiving treatment and fighting cancer.’

It was however soon revealed that the singer had lied about his health, and predictably, public sentiment toward Choi turned sour despite promises that the money would be paid back.

Perhaps the shame was too much and the singer posted what appears to be a suicide note to Youtube before his death.

“From 2011 to the present, I have been receiving attention and love from so many people. I sincerely thank you and express my gratitude […] Looking back, since I was young, I tried my best to enjoy a normal life, like every day for 10 years, but in the end, I’m sorry.”

At the time of his appearance on Korea’s Got Talent, Choi was compared to Susan Boyle, and seemingly had the world at his feet.

Have a look at his performance down below.

[source:nbc]