K-pop superstar Kim Jong-hyun commits suicide; fans grieve loss

Kim Jong-Hyun, k-pop,

Kim Jong-hyun, the 27-year-old lead singer of K-pop band SHINee committed suicide in the Gangnam district of Seoul.

It was his sister who called 911 after receiving a text message from him that read, "Please let me go. Tell me I did well. Final farewell."

He was rushed to the hospital and was pronounced dead 20 minutes later. Jong-hyun had a long history of depression.

Two weeks ago, he sent a message to friend Jang Hee-yeon, lead singer of South Korean band Dear Cloud, with the request that it be posted on social media "if he disappears from the world."

"I'm broken from inside. The blues that slowly ate at me has finally swallowed me whole. I couldn't overcome. I hated myself. Holding on to disappearing memories and screaming at it to wake up. There was no answer. If I can't breathe, it's better to stop."
His family was aware of the letter, and his state of mind, trying to do what they could to help him. They gave permission for his letter to be shared (see full letter below).

SM Entertainment, his management company, made a statement about the star that read, "Jonghyun is the best artist who loved music more than anyone else, enjoyed the stage, and loved to communicate with fans through his music. We will always remember you."

Going by Jonghyun, he just helped release SHINee's 5th Korean album. The band started together in 2008, and became one of the biggest groups in Japan and Korea, being called the "Princes of K-Pop." Their first U.S. tour was earlier this year.

Jonghyun launched a successful solo career in 2015 and had just performed in Seoul.

In addition to his success as a musician, he was an outspoken supporter of LGBT rights, taking time to reach out to fans with personal messages of support.

The beloved singer and radio host had fans worldwide who are devastated by the news.

Jong-hyun's death also prompted a Change.Org petition to entertainment management companies to take better care of their employee's mental health so more stars aren't lost to suicide.

"We ask for 'Mental Health Support for Artists in the Entertainment Industry' what happened to SHINee's Jonghyun cannot happen again, nobody should be alone in their darkest hours and they must receive a helping hand that considers their problems seriously and helps them find a way back to the surfice, leaving all pain behind. We also hope that this support won't be used against them as a monitoring system for their worth in the industry." 

The death has been ruled a suicide, the family did not request an autopsy to verify the police findings.

His full letter can be read below -

Top picture: A portrait of Kim Jong-Hyun on a mourning altar at a hospital in Seoul on December 19, 2017.

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