Shinee’s Minho gives up marathon result following controversy over alleged physical assistance

Entertainment The K-pop star apologised and voluntarily relinquished his marathon record after footage of another runner seemingly pushing him forward sparked allegations of a rule violation. Shinee's Minho. (Photo: Instagram/@choiminho_1209) New: You can now listen to articles. This audio is generated by an AI tool. Shinee member Minho has voluntarily relinquished his marathon record after a video appearing to show another runner pushing him forward during the 2026 JTBC Seoul Marathon sparked controversy online.The 34-year-old K-pop star participated in the marathon on Sunday (Nov 1), completing the 42.195km course in 3 hours and 18 seconds. It was Minho’s first attempt at a full marathon, and his finishing time placed him just 18 seconds short of achieving a “sub-3”, a milestone among runners that refers to completing a marathon in under three hours. (Photo: Instagram/@choiminho_1209) Following the event, Minho shared his completion certificate on social media, expressing satisfaction with his performance despite narrowly missing his goal.“Failed sub-3 by 18 seconds, but it was still a very valuable experience. Life is a marathon,” he wrote.However, his achievement soon came under scrutiny after footage filmed during the race circulated widely on social media.The video appeared to show a runner, described as a pacemaker, running alongside Minho and placing his hands on the singer’s back and waist, seemingly pushing him forward.The footage prompted criticism from netizens, who questioned whether Minho had received unauthorised physical assistance that could have given him an unfair advantage. (Photo: Screengrab of video) Under the technical regulations of World Athletics and the Korea Association of Athletics Federations, runners are generally prohibited from receiving physical assistance that propels them forward during a race. Exceptions include helping a fallen athlete back onto their feet.Such violations can result in disqualification without a prior warning.As the controversy intensified, Minho issued a public apology through social media on Nov 3, taking responsibility for the incident.“I’m sorry for disappointing so many people at the marathon that I participated in on Nov 1,” he wrote.“Everything happened because of my own shortcomings, and as someone who cherishes and loves sports, I feel deeply ashamed.”Minho also announced that he would not accept his marathon result, acknowledging the lessons he had learned from the experience.“I will not accept my result in this marathon, and I will not forget the lessons that I learned through this process,” he stated.He expressed respect for fellow runners who had worked hard to prepare for the race and pledged to be more careful to prevent similar incidents in future. On Nov 4, organisers of the JTBC Seoul Marathon confirmed that they had accepted Minho’s decision to relinquish his record and would not issue him an official finishing time.However, organisers have deferred a decision on whether regulations governing the Masters division, which covers amateur runners, should apply to the incident.As such, no formal rule violation has been established, and Minho has not been officially disqualified.The controversy has nevertheless brought attention to marathon regulations concerning physical assistance, particularly in races involving amateur participants and high-profile personalities. Recent Searches Trending Topics