The news broke on Monday of the apparent suicide death of main vocal for Korean boy band SHINee, Kim Jonghyun (or just Jonghyun as he was known by fans). With his group first hitting the K-Pop scene back in 2008 and later making his solo debut in 2015, along with a stint as a radio DJ for MBC FM4U, he made a massive impact on the K-Pop movement and his sudden death is sending shockwaves throughout the industry.

The hits SHINee has produced over the years are endless. Songs like “Replay,” “Ring Ding Dong,” “Hello,” “Dream Girl,” and a score of others have engrained themselves in the minds of K-Pop fans around the world. With Jonghyun serving as main vocal for the band, his voice particularly stands out in all of their music.

Incidentally, it calls to mind a hilarious clip from now-defunct variety show “Star Golden Bell,” where SHINee bandmate Onew made fun of Jonghyun’s delivery in the opening of the song “Love like Oxygen” – memories like that, which are captured on video for the ages, provide some of the more jovial memories of the musician. Tuesday morning was pretty much spent watching clips of appearances on JTBC variety show Men on a Mission (or “Knowing Bros”), which also offer some amazingly hilarious moments.

Fans and industry colleagues have left messages of love and support since the news broke of his untimely demise. With many questioning what pushed him to commit such an act.

One of the claims that have since arisen is related to his public support of the LGBT community, in particular, his support for a transgender student at Korea University, who claimed the LGBT community at the school was being suppressed. The student went on to share messages sent by Jonghyun with regard to the situation.

“I support you,” he wrote. “As an entertainer, as a minority in a different definition who deals with the public, I feel a great sense of loss in this world where we don’t admit differences.”

His views garnered the ire of many on social media, particularly with conservative extremists, who disagreed with his position. With the issue first occurring back in 2013, it is said the criticisms have been ongoing since then.

Ben Beaumont-Thomas penned a piece for British publication The Guardian, where he took a look at the K-Pop industry itself and its potential negative impact on artists.

“[They are] often signed up to draconian contracts in their early teens, keeping them tied to specific management companies, such as SM Entertainment,” he wrote. “They train in a competitive environment alongside other potential stars, with only the best ‘idols’ making it into the manufactured bands.”

“The lockstep perfection of Shinee’s dance routines is undeniably thrilling – but there is something troubling about them too, knowing that only the absolute best will be tolerated,” he added.

Having literally just wrapped a solo tour earlier this month, one could question if the pressure of the industry was just too much.

Singer and actress U;nee hanged herself in 2007 after reportedly battling depression; model Kim Daul was one of nine Korean celebrities to kill themselves in 2009; actor Park Yongha was found dead in 2010, with industry pressures said to be one of the triggers; along with several other stars who turned to suicide after purportedly suffering from depression.

Earlier this year, K-Pop site Allkpop compiled a list entitled “Idols you may not have known who suffered from extreme depression and anxiety,” which included the likes of G-Dragon, Kim Heechul of Super Junior, T.O.P of BigBang, Jo Kwon and Jeong Jinwoon of 2AM, Taeyeon of Girls’ Generation, Henry, Suzy, and IU. The guise of the K-Pop scene, with individuals as bubbly as Taeyeon, as flamboyant as Jo Kwon, as hysterically funny as Kim Heechul, it’s like the old cliché, there’s more than meets the eye.

Ironically, in observance of World Mental Health Day, back on October 10, Billboard published a list of K-Pop tunes that delve into such emotions – personally, one of the songs on the list, “Breathe” by Lee Hi, is often played on those tough days – but, also on the list was “Let Me Out,” by none other than Jonghyun; a song off his Story Op.2 album, which was released in April of this year.

Given recent events, the lyrics “Someone please hold me / I’m exhausted from this world… Someone please notice my struggles first / Please acknowledge the poor me / Please help me” are downright haunting.

Media outlets are also reporting Nine9, a member of the band Dear Cloud, received a letter from Jonghyun prior to his passing, where he reportedly wrote things like “The depression slowly chipped me away, finally devouring me,” “I felt utterly alone,” and “It is easy to say ‘I‘m going to end it;’ it is very difficult to actually go through with it.”

He also noted, “The life of fame was never meant for me.”/WDJ