Updated December 19, 2017 09:53:24

Photo: Kim Jong-hyun had a nearly decade-long prolific career. (Twitter: SHINee)

The lead singer of South Korea's top K-pop boy band Shinee has died after being taken to hospital unconscious, local media has reported.

Twenty-seven-year-old Kim Jong-hyun was found unconscious at a rented studio apartment in Cheongdam-dong on Monday evening, the Yonhap News Agency reported, quoting police.

Police arrived at Kim's apartment in southern Seoul after receiving an emergency call from his sister.

The singer was taken to a nearby hospital but was later pronounced dead, police said.

Kim arrived at the hospital in cardiac arrest and received emergency CPR treatment but failed to regain consciousness.

Yonhap said investigators believed he died from inhaling toxic fumes. No immediate confirmation from police was available.

Kim debuted in May 2008 as the main singer of Shinee under SM Entertainment, South Korea's biggest music label and entertainment agency.

Photo: Kim Jong-hyun, centre, performed with the other Shinee members in Bangkok in 2015. (Facebook: SHINee)

He had a nearly decade-long prolific career, not just in group activities but as a solo singer-songwriter.

Shinee are considered among the best K-pop performers for their music as well as their complex dance routines.

Many fans took to social media to express their condolences.

Kim's last public appearance was a solo concert in Seoul on December 10, titled Inspired.

ABC/Reuters

Topics: death, human-interest, arts-and-entertainment, music, community-and-society, korea-republic-of, asia

First posted December 19, 2017 00:58:34