R&B Duo As One Member Lee Min Passes Away Suddenly at Age 46

Lee Min, a member of the R&B duo As One, died suddenly at the age of 46. Their agency, Brand New Music, confirmed to the Korea Ilbo on August 6 (local time) that Lee Min had indeed passed away. From the music industry, Lee Min was found at her home on Tuesday afternoon, August 5. A representative from Brand New Music said, “Lee Min’s husband discovered her when he returned home last night,” adding that the police are currently investigating the case. Born on December 15, 1978, in Seoul, Lee Min (real name Lee Min-young) moved to the United States at eight months old and grew up in Los Angeles. She debuted on November 23, 1999, with their debut album *Day by Day* alongside her bandmate Crystal (real name Chae Da-hee), who also hails from that region. Since their debut, As One gained popularity by releasing numerous hit songs such as “Want and Resent,” “Day by Day,” “You’re Welcome,” and “Do You Have to Be Sorry.” After releasing their fourth album *Restoration* in 2004, they signed with EMI Korea and performed alongside well-known K-POP artists of the time, including DJ DOC and Baby V.O.X. They continued their activities even after transferring to Brand New Music, founded by music producer Rhymer in 2012. During this period, “Day By Day 2012” (featuring Verbal Jint) reached the top 25 on the Gaon Digital Chart, while “Want and Resent 2013” made it to the top 20. The duo took an official hiatus from 2017 to 2019 before making a comeback in 2019. More recently, in June, they released a new song titled “Happy Birthday To You” and appeared on KBS2’s *Seasons: Park Bo-gum’s Cantabile*. The news of Lee Min’s death shocked fans around the world, with countless tributes posted on social media. The police are still investigating the exact cause of death.