Kim Sung-jae (April 18, 1972 – November 20, 1995) was a South Korean singer, rapper, dancer, and model, best known as a member of Deux, an influential early K-pop and Korean hip hop group that rose to fame in the early 1990s. Sungjae died of an apparent murder in 1995 at the age of 23. His girlfriend, only identified as Miss Kim, was convicted of his murder and sentenced to life in prison but was later acquitted on appeal. In 2019, Sungjae's girlfriend filed multiple injunctions to block SBS's investigative program, I Want To Know, from airing an episode covering Sungjae's death.

Death

Several months after Deux broke up, SungJae released his debut solo album, As I Told You, on November 19, 1995. He performed the album's title track the same day on an SBS music program and then returned to his hotel room with his girlfriend and members of his entourage. He was found dead in his hotel room the next day, and police ruled the cause of death a heart attack caused by karoshi, or overworking. However, 28 needle marks were later discovered on his right arm, and an autopsy found traces of an animal anesthetic in his body. Sungjae's girlfriend was convicted for his murder and sentenced to life in prison, but was later acquitted due to "lack of evidence."

Aftermath

In 2019, Sungjae's girlfriend filed multiple injunctions to block SBS from airing an episode regarding Sungjae's death on the investigative program, I Want To Know. On September 7, 2022, a virtual avatar of Kim Sung-jae was unveiled by Persona Space and Galaxy Corporation, performing "As I Told You" with Sungjae's mother and brother in attendance.

Discography

With Deux

Solo album: 김성재 (Kim Sung-jae), (1995)

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