Remembering Shinee’s Jonghyun three years on – the K-pop star was close friends with Red Velvet’s Yeri, penned songs for IU and touched hearts with his lyrics, vocals and MBC radio show Blue Night

Dec 17 , 2020

Fans remember Shinee’s Jonghyun three years after his death. Photo: @408_jjong/Instagram

It’s difficult to believe that it’s been three years since Shinee’s Jonghyun left us; the South Korean idol passed away on December 18, 2017, at age 27. But rather than shedding tears over his death, we’d prefer to spend the day remembering him by looking back at the songs and memories he left behind.

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He was Shinee’s main vocalist

Shinee’s impact on Korean pop music earned them the nickname “Princes of K-pop”. Photo: @sj_charts/Twitter

It’s impossible to listen to Shinee’s songs without being impressed by Jonghyun’s distinctive, powerful voice – especially hits Ring Ding Dong, Replay and Love Like Oxygen.

And although he was neither the eldest nor the leader of the team, he was also known for lifting the other members’ moods.

He had great friendships with his fellow idols

Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon, Shinee’s Jonghyun and Red Velvet’s Yeri. Photos: @taeyeon_ss; @blue._.note/Instagram, @jjongsarchive/Twitter

Jonghyun’s fans weren’t the only ones devastated by his death – many K-pop idols posted messages expressing their love for him, too. On Jonghyun’s birthday this year, April 8, Shinee’s Key posted a photo of his former bandmate on Instagram with the caption “Happy birthday. I miss you so much. I always feel sorry, and I always love you.”

Jonghyun’s friendships with Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon and Red Velvet’s Yeri were particularly well-known. Jonghyun and Taeyeon apparently go way back, sharing ups and downs together back when they were both trainees. Taeyeon appeared on an episode of Jonghyun’s radio show on MBC, Blue Night, and she also featured in his solo song Lonely, which he wrote and composed himself.

Jonghyun-ah, you are the best. You worked so hard. I will make sure you’re not lonely

Taeyeon on Instagram in December 2019

During her The Magic of Christmas concert, which took place right after Jonghyun’s death, Taeyeon also introduced a Christmas tree prop as a gift Jonghyun had given her the year before; she kept it onstage through all three of her performances.

Jonghyun and Yeri, meanwhile, initially caught fans’ attention when they took photos together at SM Entertainment’s 2015 Halloween party, with Jonghyun later posting them to his Instagram. And when Jonghyun’s family members established Shiny Foundation in 2018 to provide psychological help to struggling musicians, Yeri supported their efforts by donating items to a charity bazaar they ran, even visiting the event in person.

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Jonghyun also apparently had good rapport with another Red Velvet member, Irene. During an appearance on Korean variety show Knowing Bros, the two introduced a game called “Jonghyun’s game” that involved hearing the first letter of a song name, then guessing the rest of the title. The game went viral and became a staple of the show, with other groups playing in later episodes.

He wrote songs for other idols

IU, Jonghyun and Lee Hi. Photos: @dlwlrma; @408_jjong; @leehi_hi/Instagram

Not only was Jonghyun a great singer and entertainer, he was also a talented lyricist who melted hearts with his poetic words. Some fans, upon revisiting Jonghyun’s lyrics after his death, noticed that certain songs spoke to the depression he was revealed to have suffered from. But fans have also gained bittersweet comfort from the songs – especially those who experience similar depressive thoughts and realise that they aren’t alone.

One such song was Gloomy Clock penned for IU, which was originally intended for his own use, Jonghyun revealed in Yoo Hee Yeol’s Sketchbook.

He also wrote Breathe for Lee Hi, which soared to first place on every major Korean digital music chart when it was released in March 2016. The song charted again in 2017 after Jonghyun’s death.

Someone’s breath, that heavy breath How can I see through that? Though I can’t understand your breath It’s alright, I’ll hold you

Lyrics from Lee Hi’s Breathe

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He was a radio DJ for three years

Many fans listened to Jonghyun’s radio show Blue Night in order to wind down for the day, since it aired from 10pm to midnight. His closing quote was always the same: “come and rest again tomorrow”. But he ended the last episode on April 2, 2017 with an even more heartfelt message:

I, too, will rest and come back. Everyone, as usual, and peacefully, please come and rest tomorrow too. I love you all

Jonghyun on MBC’s Blue Night

If you are having suicidal thoughts, or you know someone who is, help is available. For Hong Kong, dial +852 2896 0000 for The Samaritans or +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services. In the US, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on +1 800 273 8255. For a list of other nations’ helplines, see this page.

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Fame and celebrity

Jonghyun’s death devastated fans and fellow idols alike in 2017 – we remember the singer’s life by looking at some of his most memorable moments, from hit songs Ring Ding Dong, Replay and Love Like Oxygen to his radio show Blue Night