KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21 — Around 100 fans of the late Kim Jong-hyun gathered near Dataran Merdeka here tonight for a candlelight vigil in memory of the Korean pop star who died of suspected suicide this week.
Coming from all over the Klang Valley, they held up glow sticks, torches, balloons and flowers as they mourned him. Most who attended were students.
Sales executive Nabilah Nazari, 26, from Damansara said she rushed here after work to make it for the vigil.
“I have been following Jong-hyun for nine years, since he started.
“Even though it feels like we are mourning for someone far away, we really have him in our hearts and coming together here is the least we could do,” she said.
Another fan, Ameeshajit Kaur, 17, said Kim’s music had helped her through difficult times.
“More than just music, my interest as a fan has encouraged me to pick up Korean and I already know a few words and phrases.
“It is tragic that he died, especially as he was someone who spent so much time making others happy,” he said.
Student Justin Choo Shen Hoong, 15, said he came to spend time with fellow fans mourning Kim’s death.
“At least we do not have to feel sad alone, we can be here to pay tribute together. This is more meaningful that just posting up something on Facebook,” he said.
Lee Swee Ling, 23, a marketing executive from Shah Alam said she was happy to have made the trip to the vigil.
“I thought of the jam coming here and of the rain... I did not expect so many people to turn up.
“At least I know I am not alone in my love for Jong-hyun, at least we all made time to give him a send off in our own way,” she said.
The fans sang two of Kim’s pieces, “Replay” and “End of a Day”, before ending the vigil at 9pm.
The 27-year-old singer-songwriter was found unconscious at a private hotel in Seoul on Monday and died in the hospital. Police are treating his death as suicide.
In an apparent suicide note, Kim, better known as front man Jonghyun of the Korean-pop sensation SHINee, wrote that he was “broken from the inside”.
