From the Late Sulli and Moonbin to Kim Sae-ron: The Tragic Fate of Former Child Stars
On February 16, actress Kim Sae-ron was found deceased at her home. She was 25 years old. Her funeral was set up at Asan Medical Center’s funeral hall in Songpa-gu, Seoul.
Kim Sae-ron rose to fame through her role in the 2010 film “The Man from Nowhere”, becoming one of South Korea’s most recognized child actors. The sudden deaths of stars whom the public had watched grow up over the years make the news even more devastating.
This isn’t the first time the entertainment industry has mourned the loss of young stars who started as child actors. Similar tragedies occurred in 2019 and 2023.
The late Sulli, who began her career in 2005 by winning a children’s beauty contest, made her acting debut that same year in SBS’s drama “Ballad of Seodong”. She later became an SM Entertainment trainee and debuted as a member of f(x). However, after leaving the group in 2015 to pursue solo activities, she tragically passed away in October 2019.
The late Moonbin, who passed away in 2023, also started his career as a child actor.
In 2006, Moonbin appeared in TVXQ’s “Balloons” music video as a young version of U-Know Yunho. He later appeared alongside U-Know Yunho on SBS’s “Star King” and officially began acting in 2009, playing young Kim Bum in KBS 2TV’s drama “Boys Over Flowers”.
Moonbin went on to debut as an idol in 2016 with the boy group ASTRO under Fantagio. However, in April 2023, his sudden passing was reported, shocking fans worldwide.
Adding to the sorrow, Kim Sae-ron and Moonbin had previously worked together in the web drama “To be Continued”, and it was recently revealed that Kim Sae-ron had continued to mourn Moonbin’s passing, making the situation even more heartbreaking.
The deaths of these former child stars, who had been in the public eye for years, have led netizens to express their deep condolences.
Many shared their grief, saying, “I’ve watched them since they were so young. I can’t believe this“, “They worked so hard from such a young age. It’s heartbreaking” and “They were so bright and innocent in old videos. It hurts to watch.“