Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Jonghyun dead: Lead singer of K Pop band SHINee dies aged 27

Singer was reportedly found unconscious in his apartment and was pronounced dead in hospital

Roisin O'Connor
Music Correspondent
Monday 18 December 2017 12:50 GMT
Comments
Jonghyun dead: lead singer of k-pop band SHINee performing in 2015

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The lead singer of one of Korea's most popular boybands has died aged 27.

Kim Jong-hyun - known as Jonghyun - performed as part of the chart-topping act SHINee. He is believed to have taken his own life, according to Reuters via local reports.

Police reportedly found the singer unconscious in his apartment in Cheongdam-dong in the Gangnam district after his sister filed a report with concern for his welfare.

"On 18 December, 2017 at 4.42pm, Jong-hyun's older sister reported to police that her brother was about to take his own life," a statement said.

Tributes from heartbroken fans have poured in on social media. One tweeted: "Such a strong vocalist and such a good songwriter."

Another said: "He wrote one of my favourite K Pop songs, 'Breathe'. He had so much more to give. I'm so sorry he was in so much pain to do this. RIP Kim Jong Hyun."

Samaritans: Where to turn when life gets tough

SHINee, originally formed in 2008, released their fifth Japanese album Five this year and toured in Japan until April. Referred to as "the Princes of K Pop" thanks to their incredible dance routines and live performances, they achieved hits with songs including "Replay", "Dream Girl" and "Sherlock".

Anyone concerned about mental health or depression can contact Samaritans for confidential support in the UK on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in