Minho of the group SHINee apologized over a recent 'improper assistance' controversy that arose during his full marathon completion, stating that he would not accept his recorded time.
On Tuesday, Minho bowed his head through his social media, saying, "I am sorry for disappointing many people at the marathon I participated in on November 1."
He said, "Everything happened due to my shortcomings. As someone who cherishes and loves sports, I feel deeply ashamed. Once again, I apologize for causing concern. I will pay closer attention to ensure the same incident does not happen again and will strive to always show a good image."
Minho said, "I also do not accept the result of this marathon, and I will not forget the lesson learned from this process. I send my respect to runners who put in effort while shedding countless drops of sweat."
Previously, Minho participated in the '2026 JTBC Seoul Marathon' held on the 1st and completed the 42.195 km full course in 3 hours, 0 minutes, and 18 seconds.
He attempted to achieve a 'Sub-3' (finishing the full course in under 3 hours), but failed to meet his target time by exceeding it by 18 seconds.
Minho revealed his completion certificate on his social media, expressing joy with the caption, "Safe completion of my first full marathon." He further shared his impressions, stating, "Failed Sub-3. 18 seconds, still a very valuable experience. The reason life is like a marathon."
However, controversy erupted afterward when a video was released online showing a pace maker running alongside Minho pushing his back with his hand.
Some pointed out that the pace maker went beyond the role of helping maintain a steady speed by providing physical assistance to move forward through bodily contact, which constitutes disqualification grounds as it falls under physical assistance not permitted by World Athletics technical rules.
Article 6.3.6 of the World Athletics Technical Rules prohibits receiving physical support from another athlete that aids in moving forward during a race. However, helping a fallen athlete to their feet is recognized as an exception. An athlete who receives such prohibited assistance may be disqualified without prior warning.
Netizens' reactions were divided. While some argued that the reaction was overheated for something trivial, criticizing the excessive scrutiny of a marathon undertaken as a hobby, others pointed out issues, stating, "The JTBC Seoul Marathon is recognized as an official international certified record by the Korea Athletics Association (KAAF). Being an amateur does not grant immunity," and "Invalidating the record and disqualifying from the competition is only natural."
As the controversy spread, Minho immediately acknowledged his mistake and took action to resolve the situation by stating that he would not accept the marathon record.
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