Choi Sung-bong Age, Death, Wife, Family, Biography & More

Quick Info→

Age: 33 Years

Hometown: Seoul

Death Cause: Suicide

Bio/Wiki
Profession	Singer
Physical Stats & More
Height (approx.)	in centimeters- 173 cm in meters- 1.73 m in feet & inches- 5’ 8”
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Black
Career
Debut	TV: Korea's Got Talent (2011) on tvN as a contestant
Awards	• 9th Candle Award by Pop Culture Critic of College Union • New Artist by Foreign Correspondents Club
Personal Life
Date of Birth	18 February 1990 (Sunday)
Birthplace	Seoul, South Korea
Date of Death	20 June 2023
Place of Death	At his home in Seoul
Age (at the time of death)	33 Years
Death Cause	Suicide ^[1]The Korea Times
Zodiac sign	Aquarius
Nationality	South Korean
Hometown	Seoul
School	Dae-Jeon Art High School, Daejeon
College/University	Kyung-Hee Cyber University
Educational Qualification	Studied at the Department of Cultural Art Management ^[2]The Korea Times
Food Habit	Non-vegetarian
Controversies	• Hid his Education Details On 4 June 2011, after his initial appearance on the TV show 'Korea's Got Talent,' there were accusations that Choi Sung-bong concealed the fact that he had graduated from an art high school. However, it was explained that his financial situation made it difficult for him to attend classes regularly. Some people claimed that he received his diploma out of sympathy. The production team of the show, KGT, clarified that they had removed the information about his graduation from the final edited version of the film. Choi mentioned his graduation during the second local tryout, where judges, crew members, and a large audience were present to hear it. Eventually, KGT broadcasted a revised version of the show that included his statement about graduating from art high school. ^[3]Time • Faked Health Issues In January 2021, Choi Sung-bong made an announcement saying that he was fighting against cancer and was seeking financial assistance to support his latest album; however, on 29 October 2021, he admitted that he had falsely claimed to have cancer. Later, he released an apology through a South Korean media house in which he said, "I sincerely and deeply apologize for causing social upheaval and great disappointment regarding the controversy over the authenticity of 'Choi Seong-bong's false cancer battle' reported in the media. All diagnoses of thyroid cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, lung, liver, and kidney metastasis, excluding major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, are false." ^[4]Naver
Relationships & More
Marital Status (at the time of death)	Unmarried
Family
Wife/Spouse	N/A

Some Lesser Known Facts About Choi Sung-bong

Choi Sung-bong was a South Korean singer, who was famous for singing at ‘Korea’s Got Talent’ in 2011. He died at the age of 33 after committing suicide in 2023.

At the age of three, he was left alone at an orphanage in Seoul, where he experienced physical abuse. To escape from the abusive environment, he ran away from the orphanage at the age of five and found refuge in the red-light districts of Daejeon, where he began living.

During an interview, he shared that when he was 14 years old, he stayed at a night school to hide from the gang members in his area. He also said that he used to sleep in public toilets with heaters to protect himself during chilling winters.

While attending school, he worked at a delivery service to earn money for his school fees and private lesson expenses. During his time in school, he became passionate about singing and approached Jeong-So Park, a music mentor, to receive lessons. Park agreed to teach him without any fees. Park assisted him in obtaining support from the church and ChildFund Korea.
Choi Sung-bong with his music teacher, Jeong-So Park

Despite being accepted into Hanyang University, he faced financial challenges that prevented him from pursuing his undergraduate education there. Later, he began to sell chewing gums and drinks on the streets and at nightclubs.

In 2011, Choi Sung-bong took part in the reality TV show ‘Korea’s Got Talent’ on tvN, where he showcased his talent by performing the song ‘Nella Fantasia’ by Ennio Morricone.

Following the uploading of his performance on YouTube, Choi Sung-bong received praise from various musicians, including Justin Bieber, BoA, and Jung Hwa-um. His talent led him to the finals of the competition, and he secured the position of first runner-up on the show.

Choi Sung-bong made appearances on various music shows, documentary films, and talk shows, both within South Korea and internationally. He appeared on the Spanish TV programme ‘El Hormiguero’ along with the famous singer Justin Bieber. In 2011, he was interviewed by CNN News and ABC News.
Choi Sung-bong in a still from the Spanish TV programme ‘El Hormiguero’

After gaining fame on ‘Korea’s Got Talent,’ Choi Sung-bong received offers from several entertainment companies to sign contracts. He chose to sign with Sony Music Korea Inc., but he later made the decision to terminate the contract in December 2011. Before his demise in 2023, he was managed by Bongbong Company.

He had made appearances on various radio and TV programs such as tvN’s ‘Back Ji-yeo’s People Inside’ (2011), KBS1’s ‘Morning Garden’ (2012), and MBN’s News Square (2013).
Choi Sung-bong at Radio K1230

In 2012, he performed at many events and festivals including ‘You Fest Main Final Concert’ in Madrid, Spain, the inaugural ceremony of the London Olympics in Seoul, ‘Teenager’s Healing Concert’ by the Ministry of Environment in Seoul, and ‘Andy – Live In Concert’ at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.

He was invited by the South Korean President for charity performances and speeches.

In April 2012, the chairman of Cisco invited him to do a performance.

In 2012, he did a public advertisement for Election Committee in South Korea.

Choi Sung-bong appeared in articles in several magazines such as Korean Daily 100°C in 2012, Woman Sense in 2013, and Woman’s Life in 2013.

He was the honorary ambassador of ChildFund Korea and the Chang Dong Social Welfare Center.

He also made talent donations by performing for non-privileged people, including single mothers, youths in juvenile custody, and hospice centres.

He did more than 1000 performances around Asia, Europe, and South America.

In 2016, Choi Sung-bong authored a book titled ‘Singing is My Life: Memoir of My Journey from Homelessness to Fame.’ In this book, he shares his personal story, including his life experiences and his journey towards success in his career. The book achieved significant popularity and became a best-seller.

In April 2016, he released the single album ‘I Pray’ from his mini-album ‘The First Story.’
Poster of the 2016 mini-album ‘The First Story’

In 2021, he released a song titled ‘Tonight.’

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