Kim Jong-Hyun Dead: SHINee K-Pop Singer Was 27

According to multiple outlets, the artist, more commonly referred to as Jonghyun, died Monday

By Elyse Dupre Dec 18, 2017 2:12 PMTags

Kim Jong-Hyun, the lead singer of the Korean pop band SHINee, has died at the age of 27.

According to multiple news outlets, the singer was found unconscious in an apartment in Seoul on Monday. South Korean news agency Yonhap reported the singer was taken to a nearby hospital but was later pronounced dead. 

Although the cause of death is yet to be confirmed, Yonhap reported the death as an "apparent suicide," and police told BBC Korean Service suicide is being investigated as a possibility.

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More commonly known as Jonghyun, the artist was one of five members of the K-pop group. According to Apple Music, the singer and songwriter was discovered by S.M. Entertainment in 2005 and joined the band in 2008. He later launched his own solo career in 2015 with his EP Base, which included his hits "Déjà-Boo" and "Crazy (Guilty Pleasure)." He also debuted his album Story Op. 1 that same year. He released his album Story Op 2, which featured his song "Lonely," this past April.

Many fans of the artist expressed their condolences on social media.