Seoul police say no element of foul play in K-pop star Goo Hara’s death

SEOUL — The Seoul Police Department has concluded there is no foul play in the death of K-pop star Goo Hara.

The former member of girl group Kara was found dead at her home in Seoul on Sunday (Nov 24). She was 28.

During a press conference on Monday, the police confirmed that Goo was last seen arriving home alone after midnight on Sunday and a check of CCTV cameras showed no one visited her after that.

“After an on-site investigation and testimonies from family and friends, it seems that there are no criminal charges currently,” Commissioner Lee Yong-pyo has been quoted as saying by various news outlets, including entertainment site Koreaboo.com

“CCTV shows that Goo arrived home at 12:35am on the 24th. Her time of death is estimated to be after that.”

Prosecutors will decide whether to proceed with an autopsy once they have examined the on-site investigation report together with her family, he continued.

Mr Lee also revealed on Monday that Goo’s body was found by her housekeeper on Sunday evening.

The housekeeper, whom the police have not named, is known to have been close to Goo and decided to check on her when efforts to reach her failed.

“The housekeeper found Goo Hara passed away at her house on November 24 around 6pm KST,” he added.

Mr Lee confirmed earlier reports that a handwritten note was found in Goo’s house after her death.

“A pessimistic note about her life written in Hara’s handwriting was discovered on the table in the living room,” he said.

In May, Goo was hospitalised after a failed suicide attempt, following a public row with a former boyfriend, hairdresser Choi Jong-bum.

Her death comes a month after Sulli — another K-pop star and Goo’s close friend — took her own life after a long struggle with online bullying.