Seoul Times, 28 May 2016

On 27 May 2016, Lee Minhyuk was pronounced dead after he was believed to have taken his own life for his best friend. Investigations on how he had taken his life is still ongoing; the cause has been identified to be abnormal. The man's best friend, Chae Hyungwon, was spotted in a state of turmoil outside the hospital, and witnesses claimed to have seen him walk aimlessly onto the road, as if uncaring for the rest of the world. As a result, a car had struck the boy, and he has also passed away on the same date along with his weakening body after he had tried to kill himself in the vicinity of his own home.

Their deaths were a shock to their friends, some saying that "they were inseperable", and some even comparing their relationship to the main leads in the Shakespearean play, Romeo and Juliet. Many did not expect Minhyuk to end his life so soon, proclaiming that "[Minhyuk] was a bright and lively boy who cared about everyone.". As for Hyungwon, his small group of friends had commented on his mental strength as for someone who has dealt with abuse.

When investigations were carried out in the homes of both boys, a suicide letter by both has been found, and Hyungwon's diary has also been located. His father was then filed with charges for domestic and drug abuse after the accounts in his diary entries, and the bruises and marks seen on Hyungwon's body. The death of these two friends have started gaining media coverage just hours after their deaths have been pronounced, and their friendship and sacrifice for each other was commended by many.

This is a large portion of Hyungwon's suicide letter, as given with permission by his friends:

"I have decided to end my life here. Thank you to everyone that has constantly been in my life, except my scroundel cowardly father who only knows how to beat his son up. I never asked for a large social circle, so I am content with my small amount of friends. The pain is now unbearable as I know my father will not stop hitting me, so I am saying this now: Do something to my father, please. He deserves it after all the years he has does all of this emotional abuse to me.

About Minhyuk, thank you so much for coming up to me that day in school. I never knew we would have been this close, and I really really love you. I hope you won't mourn much when you're gone. I hope to, someday, meet you in my next life.

This choice, I've realised, has been something I have been wanting to do for a long time, but was too chickened out to even talk about it. Now, I'm sure of my own decision. I'll be happy then. I'll be able to fly across the skies."