“I can't help but cry”: Fans concerned as SHINee’s Onew sits out 15th anniversary schedules due to health issues

Due to health issues, SHINee’s Onew will not be participating in the group’s upcoming full-length album, three-day concert, and other promotional activities. SM Entertainment released an official statement on June 9 explaining the 33-year-old singer’s hiatus. Fans, previously worried about his extreme weight loss, grew more concerned after reading the news.

Fans sent supportive messages and expressed their unparalleled love for the singer, otherwise lovingly called by his birth name, Lee Jin-ki. The agency’s statement did not explicitly mention the SHINee member’s health issues but shared that he was advised to rest under medical care.

On June 26, SHINee will celebrate their 15th anniversary with a three-day concert titled SHINee WORLD VI [PERFECT ILLUMINATION] and release their eighth full-length album, HARD. The upcoming album release holds more significance for fans since it marks their first group comeback in two years. The promotions will now only be attended by Key, Minho, and Taemin.

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Fans worry for SHINee’s Onew as agency announces health hiatus

SHINee’s Onew, known for being one of the most talented vocalists in the K-pop industry, recently worried fans during his solo comeback in March. Fans noticed a considerable weight loss, which almost made him unrecognizable by some fans. Many grew increasingly concerned while watching him perform his regular activities.

Fans’ worries increased on June 9 when SM Entertainment announced that the 33-year-old leader of SHINee was “experiencing health issues” and “will be needing medical care and rest.” It mentioned that the leader will be unable to participate in the group’s upcoming 15th-anniversary celebrations, including full group album promotions.

Fans immediately began posting photos and videos with heartfelt messages to showcase their support for SHINee’s Onew. Take a look at their messages below:

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“I will come back again healthy”: SHINee’s Onew pens a letter to fans addressing his health

After the news was released, SHINee’s Onew posted a letter to fans with the image of the group’s 15th-anniversary cake on his Instagram account. He apologized for worrying people but asked them to think of his hiatus as a break that would help him continue to be with the group for a long time.

As per translation via Koreaboo, the caption reads as follows:

“Hello. This is Onew! I think that there are people who were shocked [by the news] and so, I thought that it was only the right thing to do for me to speak up, and this is how I’ve ended up writing a post. TLDR! I’ll recuperate my health and come back!”

In particular, SHINee’s Onew mentioned that people might misunderstand that his health may not recover, considering the timing. He stated that the “future is more important” and decided to “protect what I wish to protect.”

“I’m sorry to worry so many people and I’ll be grateful if you can think of this time as one where I take a break in order to continue to be with SHINee in the future. Due to the timing, I think that there might be misunderstandings or errors where some think that my health is not going to recover. However, in order to protect what I wish to protect, the future is more important and I have made this decision.”

He ended the letter by assuring fans that he will return healthy.

“Be very happy and healthy! I will come back again healthy, thinking of the good days together and so that I can spend each and every part of my life with meaning. I’m sorry for worrying you!”

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Meanwhile, Key, Minho, and Taemin will greet fans in the upcoming three-night concert at the KSPO Dome on June 23, 24, and 25. SHINee will also first release a track titled The Feeling from their album HARD on June 10. The album will then be released on June 26, 2023.