(Photo courtesy of MINHO's Instagram)

[Hanteo News = Reporter KIM YEONWOO] SHINee's MINHO has personally apologized following controversy over physical assistance he received from a pacemaker during a marathon.

On November 3, MINHO posted an apology on his Instagram Story, writing, "I'm sorry for disappointing so many people during the marathon I participated in on November 1."

"This happened entirely because of my own shortcomings, and as someone who genuinely loves and respects sports, I feel deeply ashamed," he said. "Once again, I sincerely apologize for causing concern."

He continued, "I'll be more mindful to make sure something like this never happens again, and I'll keep working hard to show you a better side of myself."

He also added, "I won't accept the result of this marathon either, and I'll never forget the lesson I've learned from this experience. I want to express my respect to all the runners who put in so much hard work and dedication."

MINHO previously participated in the ‘2026 JTBC Seoul Marathon’ on November 1, completing the full 42.195-kilometer course in 3 hours and 18 seconds. His first full marathon attracted attention as he came just 18 seconds short of achieving a sub-3 finish, which refers to completing a full marathon in under three hours.

However, controversy erupted after footage circulated online showing a pacemaker running alongside MINHO and apparently pushing him around his back and waist during the race. While pacemakers help runners maintain a consistent speed to achieve their target finishing times, some raised concerns that providing physical assistance during a race could constitute a violation of competition regulations.

World Athletics' competition rules restrict improper physical assistance that may affect an athlete's performance. As a result, online opinions were divided over whether the contact went beyond simple encouragement and amounted to physical assistance that could have influenced MINHO's finishing time.

Following the release of MINHO's apology, online reactions were largely positive. Many expressed acceptance of his statement, leaving comments such as "That was a straightforward apology" and "As long as he doesn't make the same mistake again, that's what matters."

Others questioned whether an apology had been necessary in the first place, commenting, "I don't think this was something he needed to apologize for."

Having built public trust through his consistently hardworking and responsible image, MINHO once again responded promptly to the controversy by addressing the situation directly and offering an apology.

As he acknowledges his shortcomings and promises to prevent similar incidents in the future, attention is turning to how MINHO will continue his activities with the same dedication and sincerity he has demonstrated throughout his career.

 yeonwoo38@hanteo.com