SHINee member Jonghyun dies in apparent suicide: police

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- Kim Jong-hyun, singer of popular K-pop group SHINee, died Monday in an apparent suicide, police said. He was 28. Kim, better known by his stage name Jonghyun, was found unconscious at a rented studio apartment in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul, around 6:10 p.m., according to police. Kim's sister made the initial call to 119 responders at 4:42 p.m. reporting that she believed her brother was committing suicide. The singer was moved to a nearby hospital but was later pronounced dead, police said. Kim arrived at the hospital under cardiac arrest and received emergency CPR but failed to regain consciousness. Investigators believe he died from inhaling toxic fumes, as they discovered coal briquettes burnt on a frying pan upon arriving at the apartment. The sister who made the initial report received a text message from the singer saying, "Please let me go. Tell me I did well," and "Final farewell," suggesting that he was about to take his own life. Kim was found to have sought counsel from his sister on Saturday, telling her that he was "depressed and going through a difficult time," according to police. On his final Instagram post shared on Nov. 20, Kim wrote, "I pray for you to not be hurt." Kim debuted in May 2008 as the main singer of SHINee under S.M. Entertainment, South Korea's biggest music label and entertainment agency, and has boasted a nearly decade-long prolific career not just in group activities but as a celebrated solo singer-songwriter. The news of Kim's death came as a shock to his acquaintances and fans, especially given the fact that he's been active in the public spotlight recently. Kim's last public appearance was at his solo concert, titled "Inspired," from Dec. 9-10 in Seoul. "I'm not sure about the release date, but Jonghyun has worked on a solo track as of late," a music business acquaintance of Kim told Yonhap News Agency. The person, who requested anonymity, said he did not sense anything strange with Kim. Another person, who worked closely with Kim, expressed total shock at the news. "I haven't checked it but I heard that he recently signed a car purchase deal. I wasn't aware he was going through tough times, since he's been his regular self," the person said. The singer had also pre-taped a segment for a variety show on cable TV network JTBC, which was scheduled to air on Christmas Eve. A preview of the upcoming show, which had previously been available on Naver, was pulled down. Kim was also scheduled to hold concerts together with SHINee members in Tokyo and Osaka in February. odissy@yna.co.kr (END)