Kim Jong-hyun, a key member of one of South Korea’s biggest boy bands, SHINee, has died. He was 27.
The singer, who performed under the name Jonghyun, was found unconscious in a rented Seoul apartment on Monday evening. He received emergency CPR treatment upon his arrival at a hospital but was later pronounced dead.
Investigators believe he died from inhaling toxic fumes after discovering coal briquettes burnt in a frying pan in his apartment.
Kim’s band, SHINee, is one of South Korea’s most popular boy bands, and signed with the country’s biggest music label, SM Entertainment, in 2008. Kim also had a successful solo career as a singer-songwriter. His debut solo album in 2015 topped the US Billboard World Albums chart.
South Korean news agency Yonhap reports Jong-hyun’s sister made an initial report to police after receiving a text message from the singer saying “Please let me go. Tell me I did well,” and “final farewell”.
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