In honor of SHINee member Kim Jong-Hyun's birthday we want to dedicate to him our weekly column on the most beautiful gestures made by idols in a small summary of all the amazing things Jonghyun did, being not only a great artist and poet but also a wonderful person, a son, a brother and an unforgettable friend.
JONGHYUN BEING AN LGBTQ+ ALLY:
In December 2013, as a show of support towards a protest focused on shining light on South Korea's social inequality, Jonghyun changed his Twitter profile picture to an image of a message written by a transgender, bisexual student protester. It was a message that critiqued the country's cultural tightness, emphasis on social norms, and its discrimination against the LGBT community. Jonghyun also reached out to the student and thanked her for speaking out and voicing her position that "different doesn't mean wrong".
HE HELPED VICTIMS OF NEPAL EARTHQUAKE:
In April 2015 an earthquake struck Nepal, killing nearly 9,000 people and destroying vital infrastructure including countless homes and schools, the star rallied support on his social media, promoving the UNICEF campaign #HelpNepalChildren and encouraging fans to donate to help Nepalese children in affected areas.
JONGHYUN AGAINST CHILD ABUSE:
In 2015 Jonghyun helped the Busan police to promote the child abuse prevention campaign, “Don’t Hit and Just Hug”.
ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE:
Someone will surely remember the viral Ice bucket challenge launched by ALS Associationand in 2014. Jonghyun happily partecipate to the challenge and expressed hopes that his participation would help those suffering from ALS and other rare diseases. He also donated funds to ALS research.
JONGHYUN COMMEMORATED THE VICTIM OF MV SEWOL:
Jonghyun commemorated the disastrous sinking of the Sewol that occurred in Korea in 2014, killing 304 people, mostly young high school students. The artist expressed all his support for grieving families by encouraging his fans to do the same by also sending a happy birthday wish to the victims of the Sewol with whom he shared the same birthday (April 8).
HE ENCOURAGED PEOPLE TO BE POLITICALLY ACTIVE AND TO FIGHT AGAINST DISCRIMINATION IN SOCIETIES:
Jonghyun was unafraid to voice his disappointment at the government’s reluctance to pressure Japan about the history of comfort women on public radio:
"Every March 1, I think of nothing more than the plight of grandmas who were taken as comfort women by the Japanese. Whatever the Japanese government’s position is, I’m curious to know whether our government really wants to address this issue.”
In addition, some of you will remember the controversies related to former Korean president Park Geun-hye, who, following the commission of several crimes, was removed from her position thanks to one of the largest popular protests ever in Korea. But even before that, Jonghy was not afraid to already demonstrate her citizens who dissented the president, something for which she was strongly criticized by the Koreans at the time. In fact, on his Twitter profile he posted:
"So they say they're going to reduce the school system in the beginning, middle, and end for induced birth... so they say they're going to produce a government textbook... After having a baby in such a policy, I would not have the confidence to raise [that child] into a human with a healthy mentality and body. I'm not saying I do not want a child, rather I am scared to have a child."
JONGHYUN VISITED A FAN AT HER WORK PLACE TO CONSOLATE HER:
In 2016, in a video for the YouTube channel 'Dingo', Jonghyun surprised a fan at her work place. The girl immediately getting emotional an bursted into tears as the singer tried to console her. They talked a lot and Jonghyun listen diligently all her difficulties, encouraged her and tried to snatch a few smiles from her by sprinkling his perfume on her wrist, after that he helped her at work, cleaning cafè's windows with her and then he safety walked her home.
Jonghyun still inspire people to do good actions. In fact, his family opened the "Shiny Foundation" in his honor, a noproft organization active in helping less fortunate young people and in providing school support.
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