The body of Goo Hara was discovered at her home in South Korea’s capital, Seoul, on Sunday evening.

A former member of South Korea’s top K-pop girl band was found dead on Sunday.

Goo Hara, who previously performed with the group Kara, was discovered at her home in Seoul on Sunday evening, Yonhap news agency reported citing police.

Better known as Hara in other parts of Asia, Goo in May was reportedly found unconscious at her home and hospitalised.

At the time, she was embroiled in disputes with an ex-boyfriend who threatened to circulate a sex video of her. The case made her the subject of tabloid fodder and malicious online messages.

Goo had previously spoken out against cyberbullying – and in June said it was difficult to overcome depression and pleaded for positive comments on social media.

Another K-pop star, Sulli, a former member of girl group f(x), who was a close friend of Goo and had also spoken out against cyberbullying, also died in October.

South Korea has one of the world’s highest rates of suicide which, according to recent government figures, is among the top causes of death for those under 40.

Goo debuted with the five-member band Kara in 2008. It was one of the early girl groups that helped fan the global K-pop wave, building large fan bases in Japan, China and other countries.

After performing with Kara from 2008 to 2015, she focused on her solo career after the group broke up and had just completed a tour of Japan with her latest release.

In messages posted on social media, fans mourned Goo’s death with one writing: “I hope you have a good sleep in heaven without any worries.”