PA/Goo Hara/InstagramFollowing the death of K-Pop star Goo Hara, South Korean police have released a statement ruling out foul play and confirming a note was found at the scene.
The 28-year-old ex-Kara girl group member was found dead on Sunday, November 24, at her home in Gangnam’s Cheongdam neighborhood of Seoul.
Commissioner Lee Yong Pyo of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has confirmed that they are not investigating Hara’s passing in relation to a crime.
Hara was discovered by her housekeeper at around 6pm. Following analysis of CCTV footage, police confirmed Hara returned home at approximately 12.35am, ‘so it is presumed that she passed away after that time’.
Between that time and her housekeeper discovering the body, no other person visited Hara’s home.
The commissioner said, as per Metro:
Yesterday (November 24), around 18:00, Goo Hara’s housekeeper discovered her. Based on an on-site inspection and testimony from her family, there are no suspicions of a crime.
The housekeeper had maintained a close relationship with Goo Hara for a long time. She went to her home after she attempted to contact Goo Hara and received no response. There was a handwritten note found on a table in her living room. There is nothing we can reveal about the contents of the note.
Commenting on whether an autopsy will be carried out, the commissioner added: ‘We will decide after consulting with the prosecution while considering her family’s opinion and the results of the on-site inspection. Nothing has been decided as of now.’
Hara’s last post on Instagram, shared with her 1.5 million followers on Saturday evening, was a photograph of herself in bed with the caption: ‘Good night.’
The K-Pop star reportedly tried to take her own life back in May this year. Her manager found her unconscious in her home after posting concerning messages online.
Some of the quotes read: ‘Acting as if I am not tired, when I am, Acting as if I am not in pain, when I am.’ Another read: ‘After living all those years with suppression, I look fine on the outside, but it feels as if I am starting to break into pieces inside.’
Her passing comes just weeks after the death of Sulli, a close friend of Hara who described their relationship as being ‘like sisters’. Police said in a statement that the 25-year-old had been suffering from ‘severe depression’.
If you’re experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They’re open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58, and they also have a webchat service if you’re not comfortable talking on the phone.
After graduating from Glasgow Caledonian University with an NCTJ and BCTJ-accredited Multimedia Journalism degree, Cameron ventured into the world of print journalism at The National, while also working as a freelance film journalist on the side, becoming an accredited Rotten Tomatoes critic in the process. He’s now left his Scottish homelands and took up residence at UNILAD as a journalist.