Korean rapper Iron, 29, found bleeding on flower bed, dies at hospital

Mere hours after the shocking announcement of the death of young Korean actress Song Yoo-jung, the South Korean showbiz industry is hit with news of another death.

29-year-old rapper Jung Hun-cheol — who went by his stage name Iron — died in hospital today (Jan 25).

According to police reports, he was discovered lying unconscious and bleeding on a flower bed outside an apartment complex in Seoul by a security guard at around 10.25am today. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. There is currently no other information on his death.

Iron, who celebrated his birthday on Jan 8, was mired in controversy in recent years.

In December 2020, the South Korean police booked him on charges of assaulting a minor, who was his room-mate and receiving music lessons from him at that time.

In September 2016, he was booked by the police for punching his then-girlfriend in the face while they were having sex. The police report said he assaulted her for "not listening to his requests".

The following month, he strangled her and hit her in the face multiple times when she tried to end their relationship. He was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered to perform 80 hours of community service.

It was also reported in 2016 that he was under investigation for three different cases of illegal marijuana use between 2014 and 2015. He received a fine and two years of probation in place of an eight-month jail sentence, and he had to attend 40 hours of rehabilitation.

Iron shot to fame in 2014 after he finished second place in the hip-hop survival programme Show Me The Money 3, and released his own music as well as collaborations with other pop stars.

ALSO READ: Korean actress Song Yoo-jung dies aged 26

kwokkarpeng@asiaone.com