SHINee K-Pop Singer Kim Jong-Hyun's Three-Day Funeral Begins

SHINee member passed away at 27 earlier this week

By Mike Vulpo Dec 19, 2017 10:21 PMTags

Fans of Kim Jong-Hyun are mourning the loss of the K-pop singer days after he was found unconscious at a studio apartment in Seoul.

His three-day funeral began Tuesday with a service for fans at the Asan Medical Center in South Korea.

Reports say close to 500 fans gathered to celebrate Kim's talents both on and off stage.

A massive floral display surrounded his portrait on a mourning altar at the hospital. According to reports, members of BTS and other K-pop groups including Girls' Generation, NCT and BoA were spotted coming to pay their respects at the Asan Medical Center.

A Korean funeral can last three days with the first two days spent preparing the body and public mourning followed by the burial or cremation on the third day.

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According to The Mirror, a private funeral will take place on Thursday morning and include family and officials from S.M. Entertainment.

Kim was the lead singer of K-pop band SHINee and shot to fame after the release of their debut EP called Replay in 2008. Earlier this year, the group went on a world tour that included stops in the United States.

"We've come to the US for fan meets before, but concerts make me a bit more nervous and excited. I hope our fans will be able to make great memories with us through the music and performances we show on stage," Kim told CNN after performing in Dallas, Los Angeles and Canada.

In addition, Kim launched his own solo career in 2015 with his EP titled Base. Most recently, he released the album Story Op 2, which featured his song "Lonely."

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family during this difficult time.