"Exploitative and absolutely sickening"- Fans react to Lee Soo-man’s upcoming documentary using images from SHINee's Jonghyun’s funeral procession

Prime Video released a trailer for Lee Soo Man: The King of K-pop on April 29, 2025, which sparked backlash for including footage from SHINee's Jonghyun’s funeral. The clip, shared on their official YouTube channel, aimed to show the dark side of K-pop, mentioning harsh contracts and the toll the industry can take.

However, the video presented Lee Soo-man as a Knight in Shining armor who rescued the rookie idols, trainees, and artists from the dark side of K-pop by encouraging creativity, vision, and productivity. He intended to create a new world accompanied by revolution.

Subsequently, the use of SHINEE Jonghyun's images in the documentary evoked negative responses from the K-pop Community. They were enraged at the insensitivity shown to the late actor, and an X user tweeted:

"Reducing Jonghyun, his art, his life to a mere footnote in some twisted narrative about “kpops dark side” to make LSM look better is disgusting. Its vile. Using videos from his funeral to serve that agenda? Thats not just insensitive, its exploitative and absolutely sickening."

The fandom stated that it was insensitive of Lee Soo-man to use SHINee's Jonghyun's images from the last moments of his life. They urged the makers to reconsider the release of the upcoming project and stated it was a disrespect to the late artist.

"how f*cking dare he use clips of jonghyuns funeral, the most private and sensitive moment for his family and loved ones that was exploited ENOUGH and call it “the dark side of kpop”??? that’s all he is and reduced to? all to talk about YOUR OWN legacy? how f*cking dare he,"- a fan reacted.

"We ask that you not support this documentary due to the lack of respect shown by the filmmakers in using photos of Jonghyun's funeral alongside the phrase "the dark side of K-pop." Reducing Jonghyun to that phrase and using such sensitive images is really disrespectful,"- a fan shared.

"Saying “the dark side of kpop” with air quotes after playing footage of jonghyun’s funeral…genuinely so f*cking gross. Don’t let corporate kpop companies propagandize you into normalizing an extremely exploitative system,"- a fan commented.

Internet users that SHINee's Jonghyun was not the dark side of K-pop as per the depiction in the trailer of an upcoming documentary. They stated that he was a musician, a poet, an artist, a friend, someone's beloved son, and much more.

"Jonghyun is not the dark side of kpop!!! he was more than his passing - he was a musician, a poet, an artist, an activist, a friend, a beloved son and brother and most importantly, a human being who deserves better. Delete and apologize,"- a user reacted.

"including funeral footage to reduce jonghyun’s life to a cautionary tale ab the dark side of kpop is so disrespectful. he was more than his passing - he was a musician, an artist, an activist, a friend and most importantly, a human being who deserves better,"- a user shared.

"Reducing an artist like Jonghyun to a single phrase and using such deeply sensitive imagery for dramatic effect is not only vile—it is a deeply disrespectful betrayal of his legacy and humanity. And whoever is using his name for fanwars is just as terrible,"- a user commented.

More about SHINee's Jonghyun

SHINee's Jonghyun was a multifaceted personality with an expertise in singing, songwriting, record producing, hosting, and autor. He was managed and associated with SM Entertainment.

SHINee's Jonghyun was the vocalist of the band SHINee for nine years. He officially debuted on May 22, 2008, with the first extended play, Replay.

It was dropped by SM Entertainment. The record featured five tracks, including Replay, In My Room, Real, Love Should Go On, and Replay. SHINee's Jonghyun made his solo debut with the first extended play, Base, in January 2015. The record featured eight tracks, including Deja-Boo, Crazy, Hallelujah, Love Belt, Neon, Mono-Drama, Beautiful Tonight, and Fortune Cookie.

Lee Soo Man: The King of K-pop documentary is slated for release on May 13, 2025, through Prime Video.

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