SHINee's Minho gives up marathon record after pacemaker controversy, but fans rally behind him

Shinse's Minho has abandoned his marathon record and issued an apology after footage emerged suggesting a fellow runner may have assisted him during a race. However, instead of the K-pop star facing backlash, many of his admirers are commending his behavior and foreseeing that his relentless competitive spirit will inspire him to return to the sport even more determined.

Minho completed his inaugural full marathon at the 2026 JTBC Seoul Marathon, an event held at Sangam World Cup Park in Seoul on Sunday. He managed to cover the 42.195-kilometer route in three hours and 18 seconds, falling just 18 seconds shy of the coveted sub-three-hour achievement. Despite narrowly missing his goal, Minho expressed satisfaction with the experience and conveyed his intent to attempt the race again.

He also expressed gratitude towards a fellow runner who had supported him in maintaining his pace throughout the race. "I was able to achieve a good time thanks to Jun-hyung, who served as my pacemaker," he stated. Nonetheless, a storm of controversy erupted following the appearance of a video online that appeared to show the pacemaker placing his hand on Minho's lower back and pushing him forward during the race.