“Korea’s Got Talent” Singer Leaves A Suicide Note On His YouTube Channel
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On June 21 (KST), the police confirmed Choi Sung Bong has been found dead in his residence.
On June 20, popera singer Choi Sung Bong, best known for his appearance on Korea’s Got Talent in 2011, left a worrisome “final message” on his YouTube channel.
He started the letter by stating that it was his farewell message to his fans.
I am writing this message as a farewell to my fans…
…I wanted to let you all know that the love I received over the years is greater, and I’ve decided to bury it deep in my heart.
— Choi Sung Bong
Two years ago, in 2021, Choi Sung Bong admitted to faking a cancer diagnosis by falsifying hospital records, taking pictures wearing fake hospital gowns, and accepting donations. When he received hate and malicious comments from this controversy, he did a live stream on what appeared to be a bridge and stated that he didn’t want to live anymore. Eventually, the paramedics came to rescue him off of the bridge, and later, he posted an apology.
In his recent letter, Choi Sung Bong apologized for what happened in 2021 and shared that he had tried his best until now.
I deeply apologize to those who have suffered due to my foolish mistakes and the harm I have caused. Over the past two years, I have returned all the donations to those who requested it.
— Choi Sung Bong
The popera singer also left details on his whereabouts in his letter. According to WikiTree, who asked the local police station if Choi Sung Bong has been found since, a police official declined to share information and noted, “We cannot provide any information.”
In 2011, Choi Sung Bong revealed on Korea’s Got Talent that he was abandoned at an orphanage when he was three, and he lived alone as a child selling energy drinks and gum. His opera performance of “Nella Fantasia” moved the judges to tears, and he became a YouTube sensation recognized by people all over the world, including South Korea’s former president Lee Myung Park, BoA, Uhm Jung Hwa, and Justin Bieber. He was the first runner-up in the competition.