鐘鉉為了追求音樂生涯，曾就讀[[高級中學]]期間輟學<ref name="esquire korea interview">{{cite web|url=http://esquirekorea.co.kr/interview/%ED%91%B8%EB%A5%B8-%EB%B0%A4-%EC%A2%85%ED%98%84%EC%9D%B4%EC%97%88%EC%8A%B5%EB%8B%88%EB%8B%A4/|title=푸른 밤 종현이었습니다|trans-title=Esquire Korea Interview - Blue Night Jonghyun|accessdate=December 27, 2017|language=ko|work=Esquire Korea}}</ref> 。

2013年4月1日，鐘鉉因獨自駕車返回宿舍途中，行經[[東湖大橋]]上擦撞計程車後撞到護欄，而[[鼻骨]][[骨折]]<ref>{{cite news|title=SHINee鐘鉉遭遇車禍 恐鼻樑骨折住院|url=http://www.epochtimes.com/b5/13/4/1/n3836249.htm|publisher=大紀元|date= 2013-04-01|author=梁夢竹|accessdate=2018-01-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=鐘鉉悲慘愚人節 車禍撞斷鼻樑|url=http://ent.ltn.com.tw/news/paper/666955|publisher=自由時報|date= 2013-04-02|author=賀靜賢|accessdate=2018-01-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://star.mt.co.kr/view/stview.php?no=2013040111171998912&type=1&outlink=1|title= '교통사고' 종현, 코뼈골절진단.."입원 치료 전념"|date= April 4, 2013|accessdate= September 10, 2016|language=ko|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911171453/http://star.mt.co.kr/view/stview.php?no=2013040111171998912&type=1&outlink=1|author=Yoon Sung-yeul|archivedate=September 11, 2016|work=Star News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://mwave.interest.me/en/kpop-news/article/32857/shinees-jonghyun-gets-in-car-accident|title= SHINee's Jonghyun Involved in Car Accident|date= April 1, 2016|accessdate= September 10, 2016|author1=Grace Danbi Hong|author2=Kim JiYeon|publisher=CJ E&M enewsWorld via Mwave}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/1559652/shinee-ask-why-so-serious-without-member-jonghyun|title= SHINee Ask 'Why So Serious?' Without Member Jonghyun|date= September 5, 2013|accessdate= September 10, 2016|work=Billboard|author=Jeff Benjamin}}</ref> 。

2013年12月14日，鐘鉉將[[Twitter]]上的個人頭像照，換成[[聖公會大學]]社會學系[[姜銀河]]學生所編寫的海報照片，題目為「無論叫什麼名字都不得安寧」的文章，內容提到導演[[金趙光秀]]與[[金承煥]]舉行的同志婚禮，並希望大眾不要再[[LGBT迫害]]<ref>{{cite news|title=SHINee鐘铉公開支持同性戀 疑是韓國偶像界第一人|url= http://ent.takungpao.com/star/q/2013/1218/2114304.html|publisher=大公報|date=2013-12-18|author=鄭筱|accessdate=2016-02-07}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://seoulbeats.com/2013/12/shinees-jonghyun-shows-support-to-koreas-minorities/|title=Shinee's Jonghyun shows support to Korea's minorities|last=Gabrielle|first=|date=16 December 2013|website=Seoulbeats|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=11 January 2018}}</ref> 。他以藝人身分公開支持[[韓國LGBT權益|LGBT權益]]的舉動，被保守派網站[[最佳網文日報儲藏所|ILBE]]網友群起攻擊，甚至在SHINee的粉絲網站惡意張貼淫照，令粉絲情绪激动，雙方在網路上激烈交戰<ref>{{cite news|title=鐘鉉挺同志 網友貼淫照攻擊|url=http://ent.ltn.com.tw/news/paper/739669|publisher=自由時報|date=2013-12-19|author=陳立妍|accessdate=2016-02-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=挺多元成家開唱 張惠妹：該我發聲了|publisher=聯合報|date=2013-12-19|author=袁世珮、梅衍儂|accessdate=2016-02-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Yu|first1=Seulki|title=SHINee's Jong Hyun under attack for his support of the sexual minority|url=https://www.dramafever.com/news/shinees-jong-hyun-under-attack-for-his-support-of-the-sexual-minority-/|accessdate=December 18, 2017|work=[[DramaFever]]|date=December 17, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Saunders|first1=Emmeline|title=Korean superstar Kim Jong-Hyun 'trolled by far-right conservatives' for supporting LGBT fans before apparent suicide|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/korean-superstar-kim-jong-hyun-11716601|accessdate=December 18, 2017|work=Mirror|date=December 18, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Ib|first1=Ryuk|title=샤이니월드 vs 일베 ‘일촉즉발’ 분위기? 일베 비방 수위가…|url=http://biz.heraldcorp.com/view.php?ud=20131218000210|accessdate=December 19, 2017|work=[[Herald Corporation]]|date=December 18, 2013|language=ko}}</ref> 。