Goo Hara

Profile Overview

Goo Hara (; Korean: 구하라; January 3, 1991 – November 24, 2019), also known mononymously as Hara, was a South Korean singer and actress. She was a member of the K-pop girl group Kara, and had also appeared in television dramas including City Hunter (2011). She made her debut as a soloist in July 2015 with the release of her EP Alohara (Can You Feel It?). After Kara disbanded in 2016, she continued her solo career at another agency, KeyEast. In June 2019, she signed with Production Ogi and continued her solo activities in Japan where she was well received by fans. Her last release was maxi single "Midnight Queen" on September 19, 2019. In November 2019, she embarked on a Japanese mini tour to support the album.
Goo was found dead at her home in Seoul on November 24, 2019, aged 28. Her death was ruled a suicide. Leading to her death, Goo had experienced multiple traumatic events: a legal battle with her ex-boyfriend, Choi Jong-Bum, who assaulted Goo in 2018 and threatened to release a sex video of them; constant harassment from part of the Korean public, aimed at making K-pop idols conform to a strict moral code; and the suicide of her close friend Sulli, who suffered similar public scrutiny, a month prior to her own death.
Goo's death was followed by calls for reform, including petitions submitted to the Cheong Wa Dae regarding sex crimes, cyberbullying, and South Korean inheritance law. It was later disclosed that Goo had a pivotal role in leading her friend Choi Jong-hoon to reveal the identity of a corrupt police officer who had protected members (including Choi himself) of the KakaoTalk chatrooms, which shared rape videos.