A Korean fashion designer celebrated in the KPOP community for dressing Mega Boy Band BTS died at the age of 32.
Kim Rieul was found dead on Tuesday evening in a flower bed in the South Korean city of Namwon-Si.
The police are investigating the sudden death of the designer, but said that there seems to be no suspicion of a crime, “the local media reported.
In the meantime, Rieul's family confirmed the devastating news in a statement today and said: “It is true that Kim Rieul died yesterday.”
The sudden death of the designer has sent shock waves in the KPOP community, because some of the most iconic pop stars of Korea, such as BTS and Monsta X, have worn the stunning handbook designs of Rieul over the years.
Mourning fans and loved ones went to social media to express their grief about Rieul's early death.
“I can't really believe it … May his soul rest in peace,” an Instagram user commented on the profile of the designer.
Another wrote: 'It was an honor to work with you. Rest in peace '.
His last Instagram message was a photo of an engraving that reads 'Rieul'. A week ago he edited the posting of the post to say: '1993-2025'.
South Korean designer Kim Rieul died at the age of 32. His body was found on a flower bed on Tuesday evening
Bts Boy Band saw Rieul's pack at a 2020 performance at Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show
The fashion designer received attention for the first time in 2016 after he had taken a modern turn to Korean traditional art through his designs.
He became known in 2020 when he designed suits inspired by traditional Korean formal clothing for BTS sensations Jimmin, J-Hope and Suga.
The boys' band performed in the old Gyeongbokgung -Palace of Seoul for 'The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon' who wore the designer suits, which yielded nearly 50 million views on YouTube.
He was also mentioned in the list '30 of Forbes Magazine '30 under 30 Asia in 2023 and has collaborated with iconic brands, including New Balance, Samsung Galaxy and McLaren.
The death of the designer is the newest in a wave of controversial deaths in South Korea.
Last year K-Pop Star Park Bo Ram was found dead in a friend's house, only 30 years old.
According to the police, Park was on 11 April with two other women in her friend's house in Seoul when she turned out to have collapsed and a cardiac arrest suffered.
She was rushed to the hospital, where she later died.
In 2023, 25-year-old singer Moonbin was found dead in his apartment. His death was put down on suicide.
The designer came to the prominent place after he had dressed Kpop Band BTS in 2020. He was admitted to the '30 under 30 Asia list of Forbes
His manager found him dead in his house in Gangnam-Guu, Seoul in April 2023, Yonhapnews television reported at the time.
K-drama actress Park Soo Ryun died at the age of 29 in June 2023. She died after a series of stairs.
Also in 2023 the South Korean influencer BJ Ahyeong, a K-pop DJ, was found dead and dumped in a well in Cambodia weeks after she had left her career on social media.
Choi Sung -Bong – who was 33 – also died in a likely suicide in 2023.
In 2019 it was announced that four young K-pop stars have died.
Zuid -Korea has the highest suicide figure among young people in the developed countries in the world, according to De Telegraaf.
K-pop stars come through their work under a large amount of pressure.
