SHINee Minho has voluntarily expressed his intention to return his official marathon completion record to the event organizers following a controversy regarding alleged unfair pacing assistance.
According to media reports, Minho’s side contacted the organizers of the ‘2026 JTBC Seoul Marathon’ to return his race record. The organizers accepted this request and decided not to provide an official record. However, withholding the record does not formally confirm a rule violation, as Minho competed in the amateur division rather than as an elite athlete, leaving his official status regarding rule violations pending review.
Previously, Minho made headlines by completing the 42.195km full marathon course in 3 hours, 00 minutes, and 18 seconds at the November 1 event. He had expressed his excitement and gratitude on social media, noting that despite missing his initial goal of ‘Sub-3’ (finishing under 3 hours), the 18-second miss was still a valuable experience. The impressive performance by a non-professional drew widespread attention.
However, criticism arose online after footage surfaced showing Minho receiving physical assistance from a pacer during the race. A male pacer running alongside him was captured pushing his back, which critics pointed out constitutes physical assistance prohibited under World Athletics technical rules, making it grounds for disqualification.
As controversy mounted over the physical contact and public calls for disqualification continued, Minho promptly issued an apology.
Through his personal social media on the 3rd, he stated, “I am deeply sorry for causing disappointment to many people during the marathon on November 1st. This happened entirely due to my shortcomings, and as someone who loves and cherishes sports, I feel deeply ashamed.” He added, “I once again apologize for causing concern and will be more mindful to prevent such incidents from happening again.”
Minho further conveyed his stance, saying, “I do not accept the results of this marathon either, and I will not forget the lessons learned through this process. I also want to express my deepest respect to all the runners who sweat and strive endlessly.”
