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On Tuesday, Choi Sung-bong, majorly recognized as the runner-up of Korea’s Got Talent 2011, left a distressing community post on his YouTube channel. The singer got recognition through the show but landed up in some trouble recently after confirming he had faked his cancer for donations.
Trigger warning: Suicide and/or self-harm.
In the suicide post, the 34-year-old singer apologized for his mistakes and detailed his intention to pay the price with his life. Despite his best efforts to live each day, he claimed he no longer had the strength to carry on any further. He even added the address for the officials to discover his body, which was found the morning after the suicide note was posted.
Choi Sung-bong enjoyed extreme popularity after earning the runner-up position in the 2011 Korea’s Got Talent series. His performance of Nella Fantasia made him an internet sensation as the world gushed over his singing and the humble background he grew up in.
Korea’s Got Talent famous runner-up Choi Sung-bong posts a suicide letter on personal YouTube two years after fake cancer controversy
Once recognized for his incredible singing talent after achieving the runner-up prize in Korea’s Got Talent in 2011, Choi Sung-bong began making headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2021. The 33-year-old singer took over the world a decade ago with his performance on Korea’s Got Talent, which skyrocketed him to international fame.
The world also had its eyes set on Choi Sung-bong’s growth. The singer shared his heartbreaking story on Korea’s Got Talent revealing he was abandoned at an orphanage when he was three years old. He ran away after being abused at the orphanage and had been surviving alone since then. However, his impressive vocal talent turned him into a sensation after starring in Korea’s Got Talent a decade ago.
The singer recently went through some rough patches that landed him in extreme trouble. In 2020, he claimed he was diagnosed with cancer that spread to various organs - colon, prostate, thyroid, lungs, brain, and heart. He reportedly opened donations to fund his last music album. However, he received negative attention after local reporter Lee Jin-ho accused Choi Sung-bong of faking the diagnosis in 2021.
After receiving malicious comments online, the Korea’s Got Talent runner-up attempted to end his life while on live stream but was saved in time by the paramedics. Soon after in October 2021, Choi Sung-bong admitted to faking he had cancer. He shared that he had “major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder” and not cancer.
Nearly two years later, Choi Sung-bong posted this suicide letter on his personal YouTube channel. Calling it a farewell, he thanked everyone who had supported him in his journey:
“Hello, this is Choi Sung-bong. I am writing this message as a farewell to my fans, and if you are reading this, I will probably already be deceased. Since 2011 until now, I have received a lot of interest and love from many people. I sincerely thank you and express my gratitude. Although this is my final message, I wanted to let you all know that the love I received over the years is greater, and I have decided to bury it deep in my heart.”
He further apologized for his mistakes. He added that he had returned all the donations he took under the pretense of having cancer. He also spoke of trying live an ordinary life but ultimately, failing at it.
“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. Now, I am prepared to pay the price for my wrongdoings with my life. Looking back, I have tried my best to live an ordinary life, giving my utmost effort each day, and living one day like it was ten years. But in the end, I couldn’t do it.”
Choi Sung-bong also added the address of where his body would be after ending his life. The post was possibly scheduled to be posted at a particular time, since he used the phrase “though my breath may have stopped now,” indicating he would have taken the extreme step before posting the letter.
“My body can be found at [his home location]. I don’t know how to write a final message, so I will just write it in my own style. Even though my breath may have stopped now, I have no regrets about the brilliant journey of my life. I have lived my life to the fullest and made efforts to find happiness every day. Age thirty-four. (as per Korean age system)”
In the end, Choi Sung-bong once again apologized for his wrongdoings and bid farewell.
“Although this life is a tragedy, may my next life have a happy ending. To all those who have suffered because of me, I sincerely apologize, and I will pay the price with my life. To all those who have helped me, I’m sorry. I feel like I endured for as long as I could. Please forget me. And may each of you find happiness in your respective lives. Farewell. June 17, 2023” (letter translation via Koreaboo)
At the time of writing, no official statement from police officials had been reported.
Update: On June 21 KST, South Korean outlet Yonhap reported that Choi Sung-bong was found dead in his home at 9:41 am at June 20 KST.
