Fans grow concerned after SHINee's Onew appears thin and worn out
Onew appeared on a variety show on Saturday. Captured from MBC
By Yoo Su-kyung
SHINee's Onew looked visibly thin and worn out in his latest television appearance, after announcing a break from music due to health concerns.
Viewers caught a glimpse of SHINee's Taemin and his daily life on a variety show aired that aired Saturday on MBC, where Onew also made an appearance alongside his bandmates.
SHINee is gearing up for a comeback with its eight studio album “HARD,” and Onew joined up with the rest of the group during their rehearsal, although he himself has been sidelined by personal health issues. Despite appearing to have lost a lot of weight and looking exhausted, Onew seemed to enjoy the company of his bandmates.
On the show, the members recalled memories of their many nationwide performances on a variety of stages, and times when Taemin forgot to take off his in-ear monitor after leaving the stage. Taemin said he often found himself in the van with the in-ear monitor still on him and Minho corroborated his story by saying he found the devices often in Taemin's pockets.
During their conversation in the studio, everyone burst out laughing after Taemin said, “I think I'm the only one here who's gotten into a spat with every single one of you. I think you let me win because you're all older and didn't really care to win an argument with someone who's the youngest.”
On June 9, SM Entertainment announced, “Due to Onew's poor health, he has been advised by medical staff to get some rest and seek treatment. SHINee's upcoming concert and album release will proceed as planned with Key, Minho and Taemin. Onew's comeback will be announced at a later date based on the progress of his recovery.”
Onew told his fans, “I'm focusing on my recovery for now, but I hope to see you again soon. I apologize if I've caused any concerns. You can think of this as a short break to ensure a brighter future for SHINee. I have made this decision to support longer-term goals in mind.”
SHINee's scheduled concert and album activities will be held as originally scheduled with the group's remaining three members excluding Onew.
Yoo Su-kyung (uu84@hankookilbo.com) is a reporter at The Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times. This article, previously published in The Hankook Ilbo, has been translated as part of a news-sharing program.