Cover image via All Kpop
K-pop star Kim Jong-hyun is reported to have passed away after he was found unconscious in an apartment unit earlier today, 18 December. He was 27.
Image via All Kpop
Reports indicate that the member of popular boy band SHINee, better known as Jonghyun, was found lying in a room with a coal briquette burning in an apartment unit at Cheongdam-dong in southern Seoul at 6PM KST
Channel NewsAsia reported that lit coal briquettes release carbon monoxide, a common method of suicide in South Korea.
Gangnam police later confirmed that the K-pop idol has passed away
"We have confirmed SHINee Jonghyun's death. We are currently unable to reach the officer who was dispatched and is still investigating so we are careful to discuss details," said a Gangnam police representative as quoted by Koreaboo.
Image via Koreaboo
K-pop news portal Koreaboo also cited news reports stating that Jonghyun's sister confirmed that he has died by suicide
Gangnam police said, "On December 18, 2017 at 4:42PM Jonghyun's older sister reported to Police that her brother was about to commit suicide. We went to his residence in Chungdam and discovered that he had attempted to commit suicide with brown coal briquettes lit inside a frying pan.
Emergency responders were with us at the time so we rushed him to the Konkuk University Hospital in a state of cardiac arrest."
According to Koreaboo, news reports also stated that Jonghyun sent his sister a suicide note, prompting her to call the police:
"It's been too hard. Please send me off. Tell everyone I've had a hard time. Tell me I did well. This is my last goodbye."
