Teary sendoff for SHINee’s Jonghyun

​LAST GOODBYE: At 9am KST (8am SGT) this morning, SHINee’s Jonghyun was given a final farewell outside Asan Medical Center.

Close to 500 fans, friends and family members gathered to say their last goodbyes to the Korean singer while fellow SHINee members and chief mourners, Onew, Key and Taemin loaded his coffin into the hearse.

The members were joined by Super Junior’s Leeteuk, Eunhyuk and Donghae as pallbearers, led by Jonghyun’s elder sister and Minho, who was carrying Jonghyun’s tablet.

The solemn affair left everyone present in tears as cries of “get up” rang through. Girls’ Generation members Taeyeon, Yoona, Sooyoung and Hyoyeon, who were also present, appeared grief-stricken as they mourned the loss of a dear friend.

More tears were shed when the hearse set off as mourning fans and friends bade Jonghyun goodbye, according to Korean media reports. A private funeral ceremony will be held today at the request of his family; location of his burial grounds will be kept private as well.

For the past two days, many industry friends such as FTISLAND, Highlight, the cast of Running Man, BTS as well as fellow SM Entertainment artistes turned up to pay their final respects to Jonghyun.

Memorial ceremonies were held around the world to remember Jonghyun and his music legacy. In Singapore, more than 1,000 fans turned up to remember and pay their last respects to the SHINee member in Hong Lim Park yesterday. White roses, flowers and little items of memorabilia were laid in the park as fans sang ‘Replay’ tearfully as a tribute to Jonghyun.

Similar memorials were held in Madison Square, New York City and outside of Taipei 101 where fans left a final message for him, saying, “Thank you, Jonghyun, for bringing us happiness.”

The 27-year-old main vocalist of SHINee passed away on Monday in a rented officetel located in Seoul’s Gangnam district. The cause of Jonghyun’s death is reported to be from carbon monoxide poisoning as a coal briquette was found burning on a frying pan in the room.