On May 22, a post was uploaded to the secondhand marketplace Daangn offering a portrait of broadcaster Defconn drawn by Jonghyun. The artwork was reportedly created by Jonghyun himself during MBC Every1’s Weekly Idol in May 2012.
The seller listed the price at 1.2 million KRW. According to the seller, the portrait was received directly after winning a broadcast event at the time. They emphasized that it is not a printed item but a one-of-a-kind drawing made by Jonghyun on paper, with his signature included.
The seller wrote, “There are wrinkles and defects. I will give it as it is, inside the paper tube sent by the broadcasting station.” They added, “It is not a print. It is a rare, one-of-a-kind item that Jonghyun drew on drawing paper and signed himself.” The seller also noted that Jonghyun’s handwritten signature can be clearly seen at the bottom of the artwork, though the paper has wrinkles due to age. They continued, “I would like to give it to someone who is not sensitive to defects, fully understands its value, and will treasure it as a collectible.”
The same seller is also reportedly selling several albums containing Jonghyun’s handwritten signature. Recently, several celebrity artworks have appeared on Daangn. Webtoon artist Kian84’s painting Starry Cheongdam was also listed for 190 million KRW, sparking debate over resale using celebrity fame. The seller later suspended the sale after controversy.
WINNER member Song Min-ho’s artwork Giraffe Painting I Drew 1, which was shown at his 2022 solo exhibition Thanking You, has also been listed for 4,751,111 KRW.
Jonghyun’s portrait listing has become especially emotional because it is connected to a late artist deeply loved by fans. While the seller described it as a rare collectible, the sale is likely to spark mixed reactions over whether such a personal, signed item should be traded online.
Sources: 네이트 뉴스