More than a thousand K-pop fans showed up at Hong Lim Park on Dec. 20 evening to attend a memorial for the late Kim Jong-Hyun.

More popularly known as Jonghyun, the 27-year-old lead singer of Korean boy band SHINee died on Dec. 18.

His death has been ruled a suicide and sent fans around the world reeling.

Orderly tribute

The sombre mood at Hong Lim Park stood in stark contrast to the pubescent hysteria typically associated with K-pop fantaticism.

Orderly queues started before 7pm and snaked around the park.

The girls in attendance were in their teens. They arrived in black or white.

They queued up patiently to enter the park. Detailed identity checks against pre-registration forms were conducted.

Those who could not enter -- as only 1,000 people were allowed into the compound at one time -- patiently waited their turn.

Many of them brought along flowers and personal letters as tributes.

Post-it notes were also available on site for them to pen messages.

Highlight depression

The main organiser, who wished to remain anonymous and declined to be interviewed by The Straits Times, told Channel News Asia that she was surprised at how big a news story the memorial has become.

The 22-year-old said she has been a K-pop fan since she was 14.

She also clarified that she is not part of any SHINee or Jonghyun fan club. She organised the event with a few friends.

She said she hopes this tragedy and spate of events will make mental illness issues less a taboo.

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Closure

The fans gathered at Hong Lim Park subsequently observed one minute of silence. Many were seen breaking into sobs when it ended.

Others came forward to comfort and hug those who were crying.

The fans gathered also sang SHINee's debut song Replay. They waved lightsticks and recorded the moment on their mobile phones.

They also shouted "You did well, you really did well, Jonghyun-ah!" in Korean at the end.

This was a reference to the suicide note Jonghyun left behind, in which he wrote: "Please tell me I did a good job... You've worked hard. You've really gone through a lot. Goodbye."

Top photo via