On July 3, Taemin gave an interview in the United Kingdom. Following his historic milestone as the first Korean male solo artist to perform at Coachella, he also recently took the stage at the British Summer Time Hyde Park festival on June 28, delivering a powerful 40-minute solo set. The performance drew an impressive crowd of around 65,000 people, further solidifying his global influence as a solo performer.

During the interview, the interviewer asked which artist he would like to collaborate with if he could choose anyone at this stage of his career. Without hesitation, Taemin named Jonghyun, saying he believed Jonghyun would have become an even more remarkable artist and that it would have been meaningful to share a stage with him. He added that he deeply respects him.

Taemin has consistently expressed his affection and admiration for Jonghyun across various media appearances. In a 2023 YouTube content series “Lee Mujin Service,” Taemin performed The Ray’s song “Cleaning” and recalled how Jonghyun used to practice it intensely. He spoke about watching Jonghyun’s passion and talent during their debut preparation days, often singing along and practicing together. He also shared how long they lived together in dorm life and how those shared years made their bond deeply sentimental. He explained that although the song is originally about farewell, he chose it to express his own emotions and mindset.

Meanwhile, Jonghyun passed away in December 2017 at the age of 27. Since then, SHINee members have continued to honor his memory, frequently mentioning him and preserving the bond they shared. It was also revealed that the members even had friendship rings made together, and Jonghyun’s ring was later delivered to his family, a gesture that touched many fans.

Sources: Daum