A Korean fashion designer celebrated in the Kpop community for dressing mega boy band BTS has died aged 32.
Kim Rieul was found dead in a flower bed on Tuesday night in the South Korean city of Namwon-si.
Police are investigating the designer’s sudden death but said that there ‘does not appear to be any suspicion of a crime‘, local media reported.
Meanwhile, Rieul’s family confirmed the devastating news in a statement today, saying: ‘It is true that Kim Rieul passed away yesterday’.
The designer’s sudden death has sent shock-waves in the Kpop community, as some of Korea’s most iconic pop stars like BTS and Monsta X have sported Rieul’s stunning handbook designs over the years.
Grieving fans and loved ones have taken to social media to express their sadness at Rieul’s untimely passing.
‘Can’t believe it really…May his soul rest in peace’, one Instagram user commented on the designer’s profile.
Another wrote: ‘It was an honour to work with you. Rest in peace’.
His last Instagram post was a picture of an engraving reading ‘Rieul’. A week ago, he edited the caption of the post for it to say: ‘1993-2025’.
South Korean designer Kim Rieul has died aged 32. His body was found on Tuesday night on a flower bed
BTS boy band seen wearing Rieul’s suits at a 2020 performance on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show
The fashion designer first gained attention in 2016 after he brought a modern twist to Korean traditional art through his designs.
He rose to prominence in 2020 when he designed suits inspired by traditional Korean formal attire for BTS sensations Jimmin, J-Hope and Suga.
The boy band performed at Seoul’s ancient Gyeongbokgung Palace for ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ wearing the designer’s suits, which garnered almost 50 million views on YouTube.
He was also named in Forbes Magazine’s ’30 Under 30 Asia’ list in 2023 and has collaborated with iconic brands including New Balance, Samsung Galaxy and McLaren.
The designer’s passing is the latest in a spate of high profile deaths in South Korea.
Last year, K-Pop star Park Bo Ram was found dead at a friend’s home aged just 30.
According to police, Park was with two other women at her friend’s house in Seoul on April 11 when she was found to have collapsed, suffering a cardiac arrest.
She was rushed to hospital, where she later died.
In 2023, 25-year-old singer Moonbin was found dead in his apartment. His death was put down to suicide.
The designer rose to prominence after he dressed Kpop band BTS in 2020. He was included in Forbes’ ’30 Under 30 Asia’ list
His manager found him dead at his home in Gangnam-gu, 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 falling down a set of stairs.
Also in 2023, South Korean influencer BJ Ahyeong, a K-pop DJ, was found dead and dumped in a pit in Cambodia weeks after she quit her social media career.
Choi Sung-bong – who was 33 – also died in a likely suicide in 2023.
In 2019, four young K-pop stars are known to have passed away.
South Korea has the highest suicide rate among young people in the world’s developed countries, according to De Telegraaf.
K-pop stars come under a high amount of pressure through their work.
