jonghyun makes debut in billboard 200 chart with poet | artist (+ other stuff)

[byeolbyeol.livejournal.com]

Jonghyun makes a Billboard 200 debut with posthumous "Poet/Artist" album https://t.co/nqFJz7eYgQ pic.twitter.com/nUZ9XV2uqr

— billboard (@billboard) January 30, 2018

i'm going to super paragraph here because there's some mentions in the actual article that might be hard to read. jonghyun is now one of ten korean acts that have made their way into the billboard 200, and the fourth soloist to do so. it's the first time that a shinee related release has made it's way onto the chart. he also topped the world album chart for the week - for the second time with one of his solo releases, the first time being with base back in 2015. he's the third korean soloist to have more than one number one album on the chart, following after g-dragon and taeyeon.

along with all of this: the music video for the "빛이 나 (shinin')" broke seven million views only five days after it's release which is pretty much an astronomical feat for a shinee related release. (it's normally taken a full week to even break three million for past shinee released.) the album also topped multiple domestic physical charts, including hanteo, breaking all of his first week physical sales records.

source: @billboard (via billboard)

this is a dud of a post but you know how it is. how are you all doing? are you still very sad like me? are you equal parts glad that people are appreciating jonghyun's music but also bitter that it didn't happen in full until after the obvious?

Comments

[cosmicdaze.livejournal.com]

I’ve had the album on repeat. I love it so much. I’m also considering getting a tattoo that says “always be with you” but I have another idea I like too so maybe I’ll just get two Jonghyun tattoos lol.

Also, during my very brief stay in Vancouver these past few days I met a Korean Shawol! We were roommates at the hostel we were staying at and we bonded a lot over SHINee. We listened to Jonghyun’s album while we were getting ready together, talked about him (and almost started crying in public shndsj) and when the sky cleared up so we could see the full moon we waved to the moon and said hi to Jjong~ It was a really nice experience and definitely made my trip even better.

[lightframes.livejournal.com]

That's adorable! I'm glad you met someone nice.

[illusions-chan.livejournal.com]

This is literally the cutest thing I've read in a really long time. I'm so glad you got to meet and have that bonding experience!

And saying hi to him is adorable. Now I'm hoping for a clear night sky too!

[audiograms.livejournal.com]

That's beautiful

[violoncelliste.livejournal.com]

late comment but this is so nice, thank you so much for sharing the story <3 it made me smile so much

[audiograms.livejournal.com]

This has made me sad all over again. He deserved this and more while he lived.

[genesisgrey.livejournal.com]

It still hits me hard at random moments. :( That the album is so good is just... bittersweet.

[jazzygyu.livejournal.com]

I guess I can't feel bitter cuz I hadn't paid attention to shinee as much myself. Although I listen to Jonghyuns past albums when they where released I hadn't been keeping up with what he had been doing recently. I think it's normal although it's sad we do tend to appreciate people more when they've left us. I just lost someone today and I feel bad because I didn't get a chance to see them even though I knew she was sick. So there's also that guilt that comes with it. But I'm terrible with dealing with sickness and death even though it's part of life. I still haven't listen to his album cuz I'm just really bad at coping with things like this.

[lightframes.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry you lost someone today. That must be tough.

[jazzygyu.livejournal.com]

Its okay, Thank you.

[byeolbyeol.livejournal.com]

i'm sorry for your loss. ;; i'm really close to losing my grandpa right now too (like we're basically being told it could be any day) and it's... rough.

[jazzygyu.livejournal.com]

Its okay thank you. Yeah it is really rough, I'm sorry you are going through that.

[lightframes.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm so sorry.

[tree-star123.livejournal.com]

i'm sorry for your loss. it's hard coping w/ things like that i just hope w/ time it gets easier for you

[greasetastic-x.livejournal.com]

hm, I haven't really been dealing with this well. College just started up again for me yesterday, so I don't think this semester will be very good for my emotional health, but we'll see how it goes.
there hasn't been a day where I don't miss him. i didn't realize how much I depended on shinee and jonghyun for a semblance of my own happiness.

and yes i am like you, bitter af. Why can't people show appreciation for others when they're around???

[existingisfunny.livejournal.com]

I pre-ordered the album the moment we could, but it didn't ship from ebay until yesterday. I'm fine with it coming later because I wasn't going to listen to it right away anyway. I'm saving that and the two mvs for another time, savoring the new of what I know we'll eventually run out of.

I'm trying not to be judgmental about Jonghyun gaining attention now, when I know a lot of that attention is from newer kpop fans that let a lot of groups and people fly under the radar and I think the urge to suddenly buy Jonghyun and SHINee material gives us all something physical to attain, makes us feel like there's something we CAN do and focus on in our situation, and support in an overt way that SM and SHINee members can feel. Especially for people that won't be able to visit his memorial.

As an empathetic person, I feel like my grief is not only for my relationship with SHINee and Jonghyun but I think of his own relationship with himself and how he won't get to see what would've happened and I know there were a lot of great things in his future. It's grieving for what I can imagine. It feels strange to be this far from people I love and care about and there's no way they can even fathom my existence and knowing I've only ever seen them on a screen. I look at pictures of Jonghyun and I think I just want to hug you and it's impossible, what do I do with this feeling.

[jinkiestabi.livejournal.com]

My sadness comes and goes. And it’s at the most random of times.

I don’t regret watching Shinin’ before I was ready. Doing so allowed me to get out a lot of emotions I’d been holding in. I haven’t taken the time to watch Before Our Spring yet, but I will soon. I’m glad that his artistry is being acknowledged by others. But it is a bittersweet feeling when you’ve always been an active fan.

Hope you’re doing well, too, OP.

[lightframes.livejournal.com]

I'm doing okay, OP. How are you?

Looking at the memorial photos made me really sad. I don't know, there's just no hiding under those circumstances. But listening to Poet | Artist has been great. Also 1 million of those Shinin' views are me.

I am... ugh. I do feel upset that he's getting this much recognition only after he's gone because I wish he could have seen it. Mainly I feel kind of... how to put this. Sad that people who are only discovering him now are only going to have this memory attached to his music. Like you can't go back and be like "She Is on repeat made my road trip amazing so I love this album" if today is your first time listening to She Is. I mean you can in the future, but this is always going to be the base memory attached to it, with any other memory layered on top, if you're just getting into his music now, which seems sad. I just wish there was some way for people who are just now getting into his music to have some happy memories attached.

[otraera.livejournal.com]

the pain comes in waves. like i honestly think i'll never get over it.
2 days after the video for shinin dropped i thought i was ready to watch the video. well let me tell you i was not. the moment the video stopped i started 2 cry.

then this Saturday i heard the album. shinin is my song but i find listening to it so bittersweet.

like a few people here i do feel like getting a jonghyun related tattoo but idk what tho. there was this post floating on tumblr the day of his passing that was like "at least we always have the moon" and ever since that quote stuck with me, i have to get the exact one tho!!

[otraera.livejournal.com]

also thank you op for making these posts!! hope youre doing well!!

[lightframes.livejournal.com]

Please share a photo if you get the tattoo!

[otraera.livejournal.com]

no problem!!

[pinkosa.livejournal.com]

Like many here, the pain comes and goes...

I never thought it would hit me this hard, but it did. Thankfully, my boyfriend supports me and knows what I'm going through.

I want to get three things tattooed:

1) I'm a graphic designer and sometimes I feel down when my works aren't appreciated as much as my co workers or that I don't get to have the same amount of creative freedom... but I always say to myself that I did well, my bf always says to me "you did well"... So, Jjong, we did well... you did well..

2) The "always be with you" neon lights on the Shinin' MV. The moment I saw them, I just knew...

3) poet | artist ... because this album is way too beautiful, and I want to have something that he had too... aside from the sadness....

[ostsiberia.livejournal.com]

I'll admit one of my worries about this album was my fear of not liking it. That worry melted away as soon as I heard the first notes of Shinin'. The night the MV was released was so fun, watching the album rise in the charts, rise higher on Youtube Trending, seeing the view count go from a few thousand to a few million, see it go #1 on iTunes, reading the lyric translations, having moments of genuine laughter, shameless fangirling, and tears. I'm not bitter, I'm more hurt that Jonghyun is not here to watch the success of this album.

Jonghyun Pens His Magnum Opus: "Poet | Artist" (http://seoulbeats.com/2018/01/jonghyun-pens-his-magnum-opus-poet-artist/?platform=hootsuite) A fantastic feature on Poet|Artist

Omona Jonghyun Healing Post (https://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/21671875.html) for those of you who may not have seen it and need to talk <3

[keytfelt.livejournal.com]

I'm happy this album is successful, but yes, I'm really bitter that people didn't appreciate his music like they should have earlier. It's really a fantastic album and I'm glad he gave it to us.

[gathyou.livejournal.com]

I want to be happy that so many people are enjoying his music and for his family and close friends to witness all this love as well but, honestly, I just feel sad... I bought the physical album (hasn't arrived home yet) and bought it on iTunes too (seeing him among the top 5 albums on French iTunes that day was so bittersweet) but the time I tried listening to it, I had to stop before I was through with it. I've watched Shinin' once but couldn't really focus on it. It's overwhelming, so I'm rather pushing it back and focusing on other kpop releases. I'm not in the best place right now so it's taking me more time that I thought it would, but it's ok, it's just part of it.
Anyway I'm super proud of every one here!!! Mourning is really hard and seeing everyone support each other is heart warming. Even if we didn't interact much, thank you. And thank you to the community as a whole for this space to say "I'm still trying to deal with it and it's hard".

[tree-star123.livejournal.com]

i'm just mixed emotions about everything i guess i will really know when i get my physical copy of the album. i preordered it and i dont know when i'll get it.

i watched the mvs 1-2 days after waiting and it was just both beautiful and sad.

[yxerin.livejournal.com]

mte

[digitalqueen.livejournal.com]

i still can't bring myself to listen to this album or watching the videos. he deserved everything

[mikachi613.livejournal.com]

I'm in the same boat. I don't feel ready quite yet. Hearing his voice still hurts too much.

[kyokomurasaki.livejournal.com]

I preordered Poet | Artist and it's on its way to me now but I've also been listening to it a lot on Spotify. It's really been a mixed bag of emotions because it's such a great album and it makes me feel better to listen to a lot of the time, but I also can't help but think about his mental state when he was making all of it. Sometimes I feel like it still hasn't sunk in completely that he's gone.

[himalayan-mind.livejournal.com]

I just received my album and everything's so beautiful. I am so, so proud of him. I am also a tad bitter that he is no longer around to see how loved he is. Also, the Super Blue Moon tonight is making me extra emotional.

I think I'm starting to feel better. I keep myself busy doing things and I promised to myself (and to Jjong) that I'll pay more attention to the people I love, so there. The problem with feeling great in the daytime is that unfortunately, my emotions tend to crash wildly once I'm back home at night. LOL.

Thank you so much OP. I follow you on many platforms and I've seen some of the stuff you had to go through recently. Sending you lots of love and internet hugs! <3

[psharp10.livejournal.com]

idk.. i just. i still haven't accepted this? and right now, living in denial is the only way that i can function semi-properly with uni stuff just completely sucking away most of my free time haha

other than that, i'm glad he's getting the recognition, he still deserves so much more, and i hope he could've seen how much love he'll always get - it's bittersweet. i still haven't listened or watched his new album because i'm just not ready. i think pushing it back kind of plays into my pathetical denial of his passing. also can't listen to any shinee related music right now either, i did listen to a few songs a week after his passing but since then i've just. not been able to.

also op, i hope you're doing better and that you have lots of love and support around you!! sending u loads of hugs, you're really amazing <3

[neoreulwonhae.livejournal.com]

I wish he could've seen how much people loved him and his music. If he had known how important he was...maybe things would've been different.

The sad thing is that this is only blowing up because he died. Every time I see his face I just think, that face isn't with us anymore. How strange that I've been seeing that face for years and knew it existed, and I can still see it but now it's gone. It's just kind of strange to me that we can still see his face and hear his voice. I guess that's a good thing. I just wish people were more caring and loving and helpful to him when he was still around, and not only after he's gone. I guess it's why we say that you don't know what you've got til it's gone.

[mewaqua1.livejournal.com]

i'm really proud he gets the recognition he 100% deserves, this album is amazing, lots of good songs, diversity etc it just breaks my heart to see non-fans only now paying attention to him, he was already doing the most when he was here with us but only now others care...he is truely an amazing artist in every aspect of the process, i'm lowkey angry at those people only hyping him up now, but i'm always more happy to see him and shinee be more loved, in the end shinee members + love is more important, just the way it happend now makes me a bit sad

idk how i'm coping, i don't think about him being gone really (the fact that he's gone i keep that very far away in a box in my mind) i listend to the album straight away when it came out and still am but some times my brain really wants to take those lyrics a bit too literally and think of bad things even tho i know i'm not that person anymore i've overcome it and i won't let myself be wrapped by darkness again and that i can be do this and make jonghyun proud by living well and working hard
i just throw myself rn in prep for osaka domes and i think realisation will hit then and there at those concerts

[pisceanfelt.livejournal.com]

It is too bad that Jonghyun is not around to see his music top charts like this anymore but 1.) the rest of SHINee still are and 2.) I feel like he logically knew a posthumous release would be successful. He PLANNED for this to be a posthumous release. Depression tells you that no one loves you and that you're a failure but logic is still there. You LOGICALLY know that isn't true. So I think even now that he's gone, he knew his last album would be this successful. He knew.