One of South Korea’s most successful music producers was found dead, aged 40, in his Seoul recording studio on Friday night.
Lee Ho-yang, better known by his stage name Shinsadong Tiger, was discovered by an acquaintance after they failed to reach him by phone, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap News.
Emergency services were called to the scene, but he was already dead.
‘It is correct that Shinsadong Tiger was found dead, but we are unable to provide further details, including time and place of death,’ an officer at Gangnam Police Station said in a statement.
Famed South Korean producer Lee Ho-yang, better known as Shinsadong Tiger (pictured), was found dead on Friday
His body was discovered in his Seoul recording studio by an acquaintance, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap News
His cause of death is currently unknown.
DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Lee for comment.
Lee’s girl group Tri.be released their new album Diamond this week, but canceled two promotional events scheduled for this weekend in the wake of the tragic news.
They confirmed that promotional activities for the album will resume next week.
‘Although we are devastated by the sudden sad news, we ask for your support and encouragement to the Tri.be members who will continue their Diamond activities under the support of Shinsadong Tiger,’ their label said in a statement.
Lee was one of the most successful producers in K-pop history, racking up multiple awards and accolades in the South Korean music industry.
His work with the girl group T-ara produced some of the best-selling K-pop singles of all time, including Roly Poly.
Lee’s other blockbuster hits included Apink’s NoNoNo and EXID’s Up & Down.
Lee’s girl group Tri.be (pictured) canceled two promotional events which were scheduled over the weekend following the tragic news
However, his chart power considerably diminished in recent years and he was unable to find new artists to work with.
His last big hit was Bhoom Bhoom for the girl group Momoland in 2018, but the track became controversial after Russian group Serebro accused the producer of ripping off their song Mi Mi Mi.
He launched his own girl group Tri.be in 2021, but the group have failed to crack the top 100 despite releasing multiple singles and albums.
According to Yonhap News, the famed K-pop producer had suffered from financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy and debt relief measures in 2017.
Lee’s death is just one of many tragedies to rock the South Korean entertainment industry in recent years.
The K-pop hitmaker had reportedly suffered from financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy and debt relief measures in 2017
Lee was behind some of South Korea’s biggest K-pop acts, including the girl groups T-ara, 4minute and APink (pictured)
Last year, Snowdrop actress Park Soo Ryun died after falling down a set of stairs.
Last April, actress and model Jung Chae-yul, who gained notoriety for her role in Zombie Detective, was found dead in her home. She was 26.
Then just days later, K-Pop star Moonbin was also found dead in his apartment in a suspected suicide. The singer, actor, dancer and model was just 25.
K-pop star and actor Sulli was found dead at her home in Seongnam, also 25, on October 14, 2019 in another suspected South Korean celebrity suicide.
A member of girl group f(x), which was launched by SM Entertainment in 2009, her band had achieved fame globally.
The star, born Choi Jin-ri, had received online abuse from trolls throughout her career, and announced in 2014 that she would be taking a break from her band due to ‘stress-related pain.’
K-pop star Sulli, 25, whose real name was Choi Jin-ri (pictured), was found dead by her manager at her home in Seongnam in 2019
Goo Hara, who was a member of the record-breaking girl group KARA, was found dead just weeks after Sulli in 2019
Kim Jong-hyun, aka Jonghyun, who was a member of boy group SHINee, took his own life in 2017
As K-Pop fans tried to come to terms with the death of Sulli, they then received the tragic news that her close friend Goo Hara had also been found dead just weeks later.
Hara, 28, was a former member of K-Pop group Kara, which debuted in 2007.
Her death, a suspected suicide, came after a previous attempt to take her own life six months earlier, when her manager found her unconscious at her home.
Lead singer of South Korean boy band Shinee, Kim Jong-hyun, took his own life, it was reported in 2017.
It was suspected that he died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
The star’s final message to his sister reportedly read: ‘It’s been too hard. Please send me off. Tell everyone I’ve had a hard time. This is my last goodbye.’