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

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

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.

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.