SHINee lead singer Jonghyun dies in apparent suicide

Kim Jong-hyun, the lead singer of world’s biggest K-pop band SHINee, has died in an apparent suicide, South Korean police said today.

The 27-year-old frontman, known as Jonghyun, was found unconscious in a rented apartment in Seoul, reports The Independent.

According to Metro, citing South Korean news outlets, Jonghyun had texted his sister shortly before, saying: “It’s been too hard. Please send me off. Tell everyone I’ve had a hard time. This is my last goodbye.”

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His worried sister then called emergency services, says the Daily Mirror. Police said Jonghyun was rushed to a hospital in a state of cardiac arrest. He is believed to have been pronounced dead after a team at the hospital performed CPR on him.

The cause of death is thought to be carbon monoxide poisoning, the newspaper says.

Investigators discovered brown coal being burnt in a frying pan when they arrived at the apartment, reports South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. Police told the BBC Korean Service that suicide will be investigated as a possibility.

SHINee have been dubbed the “Princes of K-pop” - a musical genre that started in South Korea and that mixes electronic, hip hop, pop, rock, and R&B music. The group have released five albums.

Tributes flooded in on social media as news of Jonghyun’s death spread.

If someone you’re worried about expresses suicidal feelings, you or they should contact a GP or the NHS 111 helpline. You can also call the Samaritans on 116 123 for confidential, 24-hour support, or call Mind, the mental health charity, on 0300 123 3393.