writing the lyrics and melody." It is structured as though Jonghyun and Taeyeon are in conversation with each other. Despite the simple instrumentation and relative lack of high notes, the song expresses desperate emotion. The lyrical content drew increased attention following Jonghyun's suicide, and was re-examined by fans and journalists for signs of loneliness and depression. Commercial performance Upon its release, "Lonely" was a moderate success, debuting at number 18 on Gaon Digital Chart. However, it quickly rose to the top of multiple domestic and international charts following Jonghyun's death on December 18, 2017. "Lonely" re-entered Gaon that week at number one, becoming Jonghyun's second song to top the chart after 2015's "Deja-Boo". It also reached new peaks on the Billboard K-pop Hot 100 and World Digital Song Sales, charting at number four and number six, respectively, and sold 1,000 downloads in the US in the week ending December 21. As of December 2017, "Lonely" has sold 331,742 downloads in South Korea. Credits and personnel Credits adapted from Melon. Jonghyun – vocals, lyrics, composition, arrangement Taeyeon – vocals Wefreaky – composition, arrangement Monotree – composition, arrangement Imlay – composition, arrangement Charts Weekly charts Monthly charts Release history References 2017 singles 2017 songs SM Entertainment singles Songs written by Kim Jong-hyun (singer) Korean-language songs Gaon Digital Chart number-one singles