Fans continue to mourn on the eighth anniversary of SHINee member Jonghyun's death.
On the 18th, SHINee's official account posted a message reading "I will always love you" along with a photo of Jonghyun.
In the released photo, Jonghyun is wearing a check-patterned jacket and looking at a mirror. The image, which appears to be an album jacket photo, amplifies longing for Jonghyun's appearance while alive.
Jonghyun was found in cardiac arrest at a residence in Seoul on Dec. 18, 2017. He was moved to a nearby hospital by police and rescue workers who responded to the report, but he ultimately died. He was 27.
In the suicide note left by the late Jonghyun, it was reported that a line read "depression swallowed me." Jonghyun, who debuted with SHINee in 2008 and was active not only as a group member but also as a solo singer and a singer-songwriter skilled in composing and writing lyrics, made his early death all the more tragic.
Jonghyun debuted with SHINee in 2008 and released hit songs such as "Noona, You're So Pretty," "Ring Ding Dong" and "Sherlock." In addition to group activities, he received much love for solo songs such as "Déjà-Boo," "A Day's End" and "Shinin."
Jonghyun also wrote lyrics for SHINee's "Juliette," "Alarm Clock," and "Always There," and for Taemin's "Pretty Boy," and he showed his ability as a "producer idol" by composing and writing songs such as IU's "Depression Clock," Son Dam‑bi's "Red Candle," EXO's "Playboy" and Lee Hi's "Breathe."
After Jonghyun's death, his bereaved family established the nonprofit foundation Bitna and is conducting scholarship programs for young artists who are having a hard time without agency support, funded by the royalties Jonghyun left behind. Jonghyun's elder sister is carrying out a psychological counseling project to support the healthy artistic activities of young cultural artists.
[OSEN]