SHINee's Minho gives up marathon record after pacemaker controversy, but fans rally behind him
Minho / Xportsnews
SHINee member Minho has surrendered his marathon finishing time and apologized after footage showed a fellow runner apparently pushing him during a race. Yet rather than turning against the K-pop star, many fans are praising his response and predicting that his famously competitive spirit will drive him to return stronger.
Minho completed his first full marathon at the 2026 JTBC Seoul Marathon, held at Sangam World Cup Park in Seoul on Sunday. He finished the 42.195-kilometer course in three hours and 18 seconds, narrowly missing the coveted "sub-three" milestone of completing a marathon in under three hours.
Despite falling just 18 seconds short of his goal, Minho celebrated the experience and expressed his determination to try again.
He also thanked a fellow runner who had helped him maintain his pace throughout the race.
"I was able to achieve a good time thanks to Jun-hyung, who served as my pacemaker," he said.
Minho / Captured from YTN
However, controversy erupted after a video circulated online showing the pacemaker placing his hand on Minho's lower back and apparently pushing him forward during the race.
Some online users accused Minho of violating marathon regulations, citing technical rules established by the Korea Association of Athletics Federations and World Athletics. Under those rules, receiving physical assistance from another person during a race may constitute prohibited assistance.
As criticism spread, Minho issued a public apology on Tuesday and voluntarily gave up his official finishing time. The race organizer accepted his decision.
"Everything happened because of my own shortcomings, and as someone who loves and respects sports, I feel deeply ashamed. I apologize for causing concern," he said.
The incident sparked divided reactions online.
Some users criticized what they considered preferential treatment for a celebrity.
"What a royal marathon experience. Was there someone carrying his water bottle, too?" one commenter said.
Another questioned the argument that the assistance should be overlooked because Minho was not a professional athlete.
"People saying it's fine because he's an amateur are the strangest. Most Olympic track and field athletes are amateurs, too. Would it be acceptable to push them during a race?" the commenter said.
Others, however, argued that the backlash was excessive, particularly given that Minho was participating as a recreational runner rather than a professional competitor.
"People are making such a big deal out of something so minor," one user said.
"He's not a professional athlete. He's just an ordinary participant, so why does it matter?" another said.
Beyond defending Minho, many fans praised his decision to acknowledge the controversy rather than attempt to justify the assistance he received.
"I think Minho handled the situation wisely," one commenter said. "Anyone who has trained for marathons knows how much support even a hand on the lower back can provide when you're exhausted, especially on an uphill stretch. Since the assistance lasted more than just a moment, it's difficult to argue against the criticism. But I believe he'll achieve an even more impressive sub-three finish next time."
Other comments included, "It's disappointing, but he handled it cleanly. Keep going, Minho," and "It's better to settle the matter properly than have the controversy follow him around."
Minho's posting on social media
Fans expect fiercely competitive Minho to come back stronger
Minho's reputation for intense competitiveness has become a major talking point among fans following the controversy.
The SHINee member, who completed his mandatory military service in the Marine Corps, has frequently shared stories demonstrating his determination to outperform even highly trained athletes.
During a previous appearance on MBC's talk show "Radio Star," Minho recalled participating in parachute training alongside members of the Republic of Korea Navy's Underwater Demolition Team (UDT), an elite special operations unit.
"The UDT members came to the Marine Corps for parachute training, and they were incredibly good at running," he said.
"At one point, I realized I was the only Marine running among the UDT members. I eventually finished fourth, and the UDT members who came in behind me got scolded."
His energetic personality was also evident during an appearance on MBC's reality show "Home Alone," also known as "I Live Alone," where he shared how he had taken up bonsai cultivation to develop greater patience.
"I've always been so active that I found it difficult to sit still. I thought I needed to become calmer," he said.
For fans familiar with his personality, the marathon controversy has only strengthened expectations that he will train harder and attempt another sub-three finish.
"Knowing Minho's personality, he'll probably acknowledge what happened without making excuses and challenge himself again," one commenter said.
"With Minho's personality, he'll probably grit his teeth and come back determined to finish first next time," another said.
Others suggested that the physical assistance may not have been something Minho requested.
"I don't think Minho is the type to ask someone to push him. It seems like the other runner was just trying to encourage and help him, but it's unfortunate things turned out this way," one user said.
Another commenter said Minho likely decided that keeping a disputed record was not worth the criticism.
"He probably thought it would be better not to have the record recognized than to keep it under these circumstances. That seems consistent with his personality. The more I see of him, the more I like him."
Although Minho's first marathon ended with his official time withdrawn, the response from supporters suggests that many are already looking forward to his next attempt at breaking the three-hour barrier.
This article from Xportsnews was adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.