As SHINee member Minho completed a full marathon, controversy has erupted over the release of footage showing a pacemaker pushing his back during the race.
Minho finished the 42.195 km full course in 3 hours, 0 minutes, and 18 seconds at the "2026 JTBC Seoul Marathon" held on Sunday.
He attempted to achieve a "Sub-3" finish, which means completing the full course in under three hours, but failed to meet his target time by 18 seconds.
Minho shared his completion certificate on his social media (SNS), expressing joy with the caption, "Safe completion of my first full marathon." He then stated, "Failed Sub-3. 18 seconds, but still a very valuable experience. The reason life is like a marathon."
Subsequently, a video was uploaded to an online community showing the pacemaker who had been running alongside Minho pushing his back with his hand.
This has led to criticism that the act went beyond the role of a pacemaker, which is to help maintain a steady pace, by providing physical contact to assist Minho in moving forward.
Article 6.3.6 of the World Athletics Technical Rules prohibits receiving physical assistance from another competitor that helps one move forward during a race. However, helping a fallen competitor to their feet is recognized as an exception.
Furthermore, according to the note under Rule 6.2 of the same regulations, competitors who receive such prohibited assistance may be disqualified without prior warning.
Reactions from netizens were divided. Some raised issues, stating, "Invalidating the record and disqualification from the competition are natural." On the other hand, others responded that it did not seem to be a matter worthy of controversy, arguing that the marathon was an amateur challenge and should not be overly scrutinized.
However, no official judgment from the organizing committee has been confirmed regarding whether the scene in question constitutes an actual rule violation or whether it affected Minho's record or race result.
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