Fans and the members of K-pop boyband SHINee are mourning the death of lead singer Kim Jonghyun, apparently committed suicide on Monday.
The bandmates have broken their silence and issued a statement on Twitter. The official handle of SHINee shared a photo of Jonghyun performing along with a note written on it.
"Jonghyun is the best artist who loves music, enjoys the stage and cherishes communicating with fans through music," the group captioned the photo, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap.
The group ended the caption: "We will remember you forever."
SM Entertainment, SHINee's management company also shared a heartbreaking post confirming the death of the singer.
"We are sorry to share such heartbreaking and tragic news... SHINee's Jonghyun left us suddenly," the statement read.
— SHINee (@SHINee) December 19, 2017
Several fans in South Korea and in the US paid tribute to the star after the news of his death came out. Thousands of his heartbroken fans gathered outside the hospital where Jonghyun was taken after he was found unconscious.
A portrait of the 27-year-old singer was also put up outside the hospital on December 19 to mourn the loss.
The popular K-pop idol died on December 18. His sister informed the police that Jonghyun had threatened to take his life. Cops found him unconscious at his rented apartment studio in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul, on Monday evening.
He even left a note which was shared by his friend and rock group Dear Cloud's lead singer, Jang Hee-yeon. In his last note, Jonghyun talked about depression.
"I'm broken from the inside. The depression that has slowly nibbled me away has now devoured me, and I couldn't overcome it," Kim wrote, according to Jang Hee-yeon's Instagram post.
"I thought being a doctor was so easy when blaming it on my character in a quiet voice. It's amazing that it hurts this much. No one alive is more tormented nor weaker than myself."
