Iconic ’90s rock musician Shin Hae-chul, 46, was pronounced dead at 8.19 p.m. Monday at the Asan Medical Center in southern Seoul following a massive heart attack on Oct. 22, which left the singer in a comatose state for five days.

Although it was previously reported that doctors were unsure of what caused the singer’s heart to suddenly fail, according to a statement from Shin’s agency, KCA Entertainment, the cause has now been determined to be the result of widespread infection in the intestines and abdominal cavity lining.

Shin reportedly made multiple visits to the hospital over the past two weeks. On Oct. 17, it was said that he received an operation at a hospital in Seoul for a strangulated hernia in his abdomen and was discharged the next day. However, after complaining of sharp pains after the procedure, he returned to the hospital on Oct. 20, where he was readmitted.

He was transferred to the Asan Medical Center on Oct. 22 to undergo another procedure to remove a part of his stomach when the singer suddenly suffered a cardiac arrest.

After a three-hour procedure, doctors were able to return Shin’s blood pressure to a safe level, but he remained unconscious and in critical condition. He was sent to the hospital’s intensive care unit where his family reportedly waited by his side for him to wake up.

“The medical staff did everything that they could,” a KCA officialwas quoted as saying in news reports. “And despite everyone’s sincerest hopes for his recovery, he was unable to pull through. Our deepest condolences go out to the bereaved family.”

Shin leaves behind his wife, columnist Yoon Won-hee, and their two children ― a 9-year-old daughter and a 7-year-old son.

In 2009, Shin made headlines for having a stomach operation at Seoul Sky Hospital as part of his plan to lose weight. After the news of Shin’s recent hospitalization, speculations arose that the singer had undergone more surgery to lose more weight. However, his agency denies all claims that his recent procedure was for dietary reasons.

The news of his death comes only four months after Shin released his “Reboot Myself Part 1” comeback EP in June, his first album release in nearly six years.

Shin, also known widely as the “Evil King” in reference to his dark persona, made his debut in 1988 after his self-composed song, “To You,” took home the grand prize at a university music contest. Now, more than 25 years later, the song still captures the attention of the younger generation, as it is widely used by college cheerleading squads with students cheering and dancing along with the track during festivals and sporting events.

The legendary artist, who had more than 30 albums to his credit, eventually went on to form the popular rock group N.E.X.T in 1992. After eventually disbanding in 1997, the band reprised its music after seven years with the release of its fifth full-length album. Last month, N.E.X.T released its latest single, “I Want it All.”

Shin was prepping for his upcoming concert tour as well as hosting a new JTBC cable TV talk show, “Inside Stories Salon.” The show was initially scheduled to air its first episode Sunday. However, following the news of Shin’s death, JTBC officials have announced that they are currently reconsidering the fate of the show.

By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)