---
title: "8-Year-Old Pop Star Dies Days After Her Final Performance as a Dangerous Infection Takes a Tragic Turn"
url: https://egloos.com/en/smalljoyskorea/25774
channel: "Smalljoys"
channel_url: https://egloos.com/en/smalljoyskorea
category: "Celebrities"
language: en
published: 2026-10-03T20:36:30
updated: 2026-10-03T20:36:30
---

# 8-Year-Old Pop Star Dies Days After Her Final Performance as a Dangerous Infection Takes a Tragic Turn

Eight-year-old pop star Hirata Runa, known by fans as Luna-chan, has died a day after performing on stage in what became her final concert.

Runa was a trainee with the DIANNA Project, a Japanese girls' idol group program. She performed at a live concert on Sept. 28, and shortly afterward shared a cheerful message with fans online. In the post, she thanked everyone and said she had a lot of fun during the performance.

![](https://static.egloos.com/content/images/body/20261003/20261003203614_image.png)

But on Sept. 29, Runa passed away at around 4 a.m., according to her family. Her talent agency later confirmed that she died from myocarditis resulting from influenza. Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle and can interfere with the heart's ability to function normally.

![](https://static.egloos.com/content/images/body/20261003/20261003203601_image.png)

The news came as a devastating shock because the young performer had appeared on stage only days earlier and had publicly expressed how much she enjoyed the experience. Her family later held a private funeral and asked people to respect their privacy.

![](https://static.egloos.com/content/images/body/20261003/20261003203628_image.png)

In a tribute, her family said that about one-third of Runa's life had been spent as an idol and asked fans to keep her in their hearts as an “eternal idol.” Her agency also thanked fans and everyone who had supported the young performer throughout her brief career.

---

Copyright of this article belongs to Egloos and its author, [Smalljoys](https://egloos.com/en/smalljoyskorea).