K-TOWN
K-Pop Trainee & 'Kara Project' Contestant Ahn So Jin Dead at 22
2/25/2015
by
Jeff Benjamin
Prominent K-pop hopeful and reality-show contest Ahn So Jin died on Feb. 24. The singer was found unconscious near her apartment garden in South Korea's Daedeok District -- reportedly from jumping to her death from the 10th floor, though the death has not been confirmed a suicide. She died after being transported to a nearby hospital. So Jin was 22.
So Jin grew to domestic notoriety as one of the seven singers competing for a spot to be part of established girl group Kara. After two members left the group in early 2014, the outfit turned their search for a new vocalist into a reality competition show with Kara Project last spring. So Jin made the top 4.
So Jin was one of many hopeful K-pop stars who sign with a Korean label to train and one day debut in a group or as a soloist. She was one of these "trainees" for five years under DSP Media, who houses Kara along with Rainbow and A-Jax, but left the company approxiamately a month ago. DSP has announced a new girl group named April, which logic assumes would have at one point included So Jin as a member, to debut later this year.
The global K-pop community showed their condolences on social media by sending #RIPSojin to No. 1 on Twitter's worldwide trends. Some messages included heartbreaking Kara Project screen captures of So Jin talking about her dreams to one day debut as a K-pop star.
Additional reporting by Jessica Oak.
