On the morning of December 18, 2017, I received a text from my close friend. It was part of a thread, but per iPhone notifications,
all I saw was the last text: “Tell me it isn’t real.” I went on Facebook to check the news, and saw the headline.
Kim Jonghyun had killed himself.
His death affected everyone who was a fan of K-Pop – and even those who weren’t. Fans held vigils all over the world and found
community online talking about how the death was impacting them. Celebrities and fans alike came to his three-day funeral
in droves. People who weren’t K-Pop fans compared this to the death of Kurt Cobain. The mother of a boy who had been on a
reality show with SHINee said her son was mourning Jonghyun’s death like he was family…because he was.
And American news outlets did what they always do when tragedy strikes K-Pop. They made a big deal out of the K-Pop industry’s training process.
Jonghyun was 27 years old upon his death. SHINee had been around for 9 years. He had not been a trainee in almost a decade.
While Jonghyun’s depression was clearly exacerbated by the K-Pop industry, to say it was the only cause of it is reductive to the conversation. In Jonghyun’s suicide note, which was shared by a friend, it was made clear that he was dealing with depression. He expresses doubts about the decision to be an idol as opposed to choosing another career path. He repeatedly asked in the note “Did I do well?”, which I interpreted as not knowing if his chosen career had the positive impact he had wanted from himself.
Let’s be very clear, Jonghyun did have an incredibly positive impact on the lives of many people. He was a powerhouse in the world of K-Pop. He pushed for more creative control over his career, pushes that made a broad impact on the K-Pop industry at large. He was also a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, even saying that “different doesn’t mean wrong.” He used his fame to bring light to many issues. To highlight this, fans made the hashtag #YouDidWellJonghyun viral after his death.
Jonghyun dedicated his life to making the world a beautiful place, but western news outlets reduced him to a statistic to prove the callousness of the K-Pop world. The western world also chose to focus on the bad parts of the K-Pop industry instead of talking about Jonghyun’s life
and accomplishments. His legacy was downplayed to make a racist/xenophobic point.
SHINee went on YouTube channel ODG for a video called “Kids Review K-Pop Star’s Career (Feat. SHINee)”. Each member was paired
with a kid who had very little context as to who they are. The producers at ODG made a point of showing SHINee’s first music show win, thereby making the band members see Jonghyun alongside them in the video. All of the members watch with a wistful, distant expression, clearly holding in a flood of emotions. One girl notices this and says comfortingly, “It must have reminded you of old memories.”
Another girl, evidently too young to remember Jonghyun’s death, innocently asks Minho who the fifth member is, and Minho refers to him as 종현삼촌, or “Uncle Jonghyun”. When that same girl notices his absence in later videos, she asks if he left the group. Minho says that
Jonghyun is “not well.” She smiles and says “Then he’s not a bad uncle.”
Minho agrees. “Yes, he’s not a bad uncle. He’s a good uncle.”
That’s how we have to remember Jonghyun.
We have to talk about SHINee because their legacy is both one of joy and one of pain. They have continued being successful in the absence of their friend. They’re a favorite group by most K-Pop fans and are well respected by basically everyone, regardless of the tragedy. I feel it’s important to see their career in both respects – we need to see the happiness and the sorrow. We need to celebrate their creativity as they continue into the future, and mourn alongside them as Jonghyun moves further into memory.
We need to remember that they’re people.