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Dear Jonghyun-hyung... Hyung, it’s me Kibum~ I sent you away today and saw your face yesterday but still can’t believe it (you are gone).  Sorry that I came late due to work and sorry that I wasn’t there for you as a little brother when you were lonely. 

Two of the most stubborn members in our team were hyung and I, so we did what we always set out our mind to do, you did everything you wanted to do and even in the last moment you made the decision and went away first....

It was very difficult in the beginning but ever since I was with you for the last three days, just you and I, I’m beginning to understand how you must have felt. 

Don’t worry too much even if you are leaving before us, I will take care of and respect your mother and sister. I will miss you for a long time. I’m so worried that no one will take up my side during (business) meetings. While having these meetings it would always be us who end up talking the most.... I will try to live better going through time, adjusting the life without you...

I found snippets of people in the Entertainment industry sharing their experience working with Shinee;

Anonymous person who has worked with them on their album in 2013, probably for their Misconception series? 

[ I worked with idols a lot but one group that stuck with me is Shinee. They have a very strong opinion kekeke if it’s not to their satisfaction, it just isn’t. So cool... It’s not very easy to be like that and it was a definite first from numerous idols keke such a strong charge of themselves. 

All five of them will discuss and constantly ask questions such as should this be it? How about this? What about this? And will continue until all five of them agree. As a person working with them, it’s a difficult process but made me very proud of the result kekekeke]

Anon sharing what he/she heard from her uncle (possibly a SM employee) 

[I personally think Shinee will be in the business for a long time because you can feel the respect they have for each other. 

During the meetings, they would never decide things alone and only agree when all five of them are in sync, regardless of what that might be. 

“What about hyungs?” “Did everyone agree?” are what they say the most often kekekekekekeeke ] 

Proud to be a Shawol. Period. 

In a light of recent JongKey moments, two things keep tickle my bones:

1. The fact that Key wore pink jacket to M! Countdown, to match Jonghyun’s hair color to support him

2. Key proudly beaming at Jonghyun while whispering to his co-MCs, Seventeen members, “Isn’t he good?” 

On Onew’s gag

JH: Onew looked at the third question and read out aloud ‘What’s your Gong-yak(victory pledge) when you win first on the music shows?’ Onew, what did you say? Which made us laugh out loud during the ad segment?

ON: I want to eat Gonyak(jelly). 

On Onew’s Neck Condition

JH: Onew had a surgery, how did you feel?

ON: I couldn’t speak a word for three months and half. Members gave me strength and also other people as well, including Kim Yeon Woo. 

MH: Even when Onew couldn’t speak, he would still make us laugh by writing his gag on the cell phone’s note. 

On Fans’ Reaction

Key: I am very happy with the rank result, although we wouldn’t be responsible if the album fails but since we chose the title track and were involved in making the album I am glad to know that the album is being received well. 

About the song ‘Encore’

TM: I really liked this song and when I first heard it, it just came to me that the song is perfect for the ending song at the concert. Also the lyricist I think had a very good understanding of our relationship with fans. 

MH: Also, the bridge where JH who shows his explosive voice is the best part. 

About their comeback

TM: I really thought that we should meet the expectation of our fans, but I was really concerned because we wanted to show something new but still perform music that’s related to our past musical style. How is it? 

About ‘Lovesick’

MH: I think the lyrics is related to ‘Replay.’ If the Replay lyrics is about first love, ‘Lovesick’ is more about secret crush and even the dance is very similar to the Replay. 

Key: The song was written by an American team called ‘Underdogs’ and I think this music had the right balance of lyrics, melody and our voice. 

Key: Although I can’t confirm, but I think you can expect to see us perform Lovesick on television. 

About the first track, ‘Odd Eye.’

Jonghyun wanted to mix and balance each members’ unique voice and their characteristic, he introduced Key’s English rap first because he has a good pronunciation and worked with Minho for the very first time in making rap, which Minho said was  a difficult process, but he was very satisfied with a result. So much so that he’s favourite track in the album is the ‘Odd Eye.’ Jonghyun also said that he used Onew’s voice the last because the pronunciation of the lyrics is similar to Onew’s name.  

About the title track, ‘View.’

The fourth album’s title track, ‘View’ was the first song they voted and decided by themselves to promote, not by SM Ent.

Key mentioned that the reason he liked the title track was because the ‘View’ allowed them to imagine more freely as to what they could do in terms of performance unlike other songs they couldn’t quite figure out the five people’s performance aspect of the song. 

About the album, ‘Odd.’

All of them agreed that they pretty much wanted to relax a little and loosen up with this album instead of hitting the stage that is full of spectacle, power and hard core performance. 

This is a little too late, but I’ll try to write down as much as I remember about the Tokyo Dome Concert on March 15th. I’ve only really fell into SHINEE a year ago and it took me completely by surprise how much I fell for these five adorable dorks. I’ve developed not only affection but deep respect for these five wonderful people who shared one same goal/dream even though each of them are vastly different in terms of characteristics. (S/N: I personally believe if if wasn’t for them being put together as a group, they would not have been close friends since each of them are so different and unique in their own way, except of course, JongKey LOL)

I decided to celebrate my graduation from gradate school by treating myself to Tokyo Dome concert and was fortunate to have a friend living in Japan who helped me buy the ticket for me and for him. We went to the concert together even though my friend barely knew SHINEE.

It was my very first SHINEE concert and very first for me to witness them live and I know its a cliche but YOU HAVE TO SEE THEM PERFORM LIVE!!! Despite Tokyo Dome being so huuuuuge, I couldn’t help but be electrified by the energy the five of them were giving off. My friend was impressed as well and he later was very surprised when I told him that hey sang all the songs live. Another fun thing for me to watch was how other SHINEE fans from all over the world, but mainly Japan, China and Korea interact with each other and enjoy the performance. The girl who sat next me was a Taemint and two girls sitting in front of me were MVPs and me, well let’s say I love all of them but have especially soft spot for Key, Onew and Jonghyun.

Two MVPs from Korea were having the time of their lives, from the moment SHINEE appeared on stage they stood up and danced, cheered, sang along through the four hour concert. I couldn’t help but laugh with them and dance to match their energy level. The Taemint girl sitting next me was quieter but I couldn’t help but smile when she would enthusiastically shout, almost to a point as if she’s trying to save a drowning person, Taemin’s name whenever he appeared on the stage. As for I, I screamed out the loudest during Key’s solo and DJ performance.

Now back to the concert, guys our boys have really grown. I mean REALLY grown and matured to a point that they are not just your ordinary manufactured type of idols but a real full fledging artists. I couldn’t help but be thoroughly impressed at their flawless execution song after song, always hitting the notes and at the same time dancing precisely in full speed.

Onew, wow, I won’t be fooled by Onew’s boyish grin and charming smiles anymore. He just oozes manliness when he’s on stage and his stage presence is full of charisma. He could be angelic in one moment and be overwhelmingly devilish in the next. He’s that type of a person who knows what kind of emotions he can draw out of the crowd using his expressions and boy does he know how to flex his facial muscle well, among other muscles. His voice is unique and I can’t fully describe how wonderful it is to listen to him sing full of emotion so closely. I felt truly blessed.

Jonghyun, jesus Jonghyun. It almost seemed as if he was boasting all the technical vocal skills he have mastered over the years. He was in full control of his vocal prowess and showed off so many different vocal range and techniques it was simply astounding.

Minho was full of cuteness and I doubled over when he appeared on his solo stage wearing that pink outfit. Also, guys DO check out SHINEE’s latest single or soon to be released single, LOVE, the very last song they sang together at the concert. Not only is it good, but you can definitely check Minho’s vocal power which I have to say was heaven in my ears.

Key. Oh Key. Where do I start. Apparently it was Key who proposed, planned and organised a fashion show/DJ music event in collaboration with Phillip Plein. When I first heard there would be a fashion brand collaboration, I was pretty sure that it would be Joyrich, because that’s one of Key’s favourite clothing brand, but alas I was wrong. Anyway, the show was interesting to say the least and I particularly enjoyed Jonghyun swaying right beside Key while Key was spinning the records. And of course, the infamous ‘We were born to shine.’ Hahaha. I only remember myself screaming at top of my lung, amused and excited at the same time screaming out Key! Key! Kibum-ah! (-_-;;)

It was a performance to remember and man those hip rolls and his whip and parading down like a freakin Cleopatra on that chair. He knew he was beautiful and he knew he had us under his charm.

And Taemin…what can I say. I finally understood why people call him devil. He freakin stripped off his jacket and wow….I thought I would be speechless but I quickly joined the others when people were screaming at their top of lungs. He truly is one evil Maknae.

I think I kind of outted myself as a JongKey shipper when I nearly hyperventilated, much to my friend’s amusement, when Jonghyun grabbed back of Key’s head and stared into each other’s eyes. It was brief but so intense and I just chanted JongKey like crazy and my friend was like, -_-?

When Key and Taemin went into change into another costume, OnJongMin introduced their band to the audience, which they named ‘Sha-bang’ which means shiny in Korean. Onew apparently named the band and I think it was he who asked Minho to sing the theme song for the band, in which Minho happily complied and started singing Park Hyun Bin’s ‘Sha-bang Sha-bang’ at top of his lung and wow he hit the notes perfectly!

Jonghyun seemed impressed and even complimented Minho for the effort but told him that it was too low and Key’s singing was better. Haahahaha. When Key and Tamin got out, Minho who acted like he was hurt by Jonghyun’s comment said that it was okay because he had his own theme song and he started singing the Tokyo Dome concert song they came up with while getting into change their clothes, ‘Do-mu, Do-mu, Do-muni Ikimasu~ ’

Another JongKey conversation I remember was when they were explaining about their new song ‘Your Number’ Jonghyun asked Key to explain to audience what kind of song it is and Key cheekily replied, ‘Don’t order me around!’ and laughed.

And of course, finally, it comes to the JongKey hug. I felt truly lucky and blessed to witness their affection/interaction. As someone mentioned already, those two rarely hug each other dying their intense emotional moments. However, this time it was different. Jonghyun at first was hesitant. He would let Minho console Key but then later in determined manner hugged Key himself.

As a JongKey shipper I'm actually more intrigued by what Jonghyun had said in reaction to that infamous cartoon. 

"What...the...heck...is....this? kekeke. I can count with my fingers the time we've called each other..keke everyone, please don't call while you are driving."

Hmmm my head exploding over the fact whether this is because they see each other all the time or if it's all business and they don't really care for each other when they are not together during schedule.