SHINee's Minho runs during the 2026 JTBC Seoul Marathon on Sunday, when a pacing partner was captured on camera appearing to push him from behind. [Online community]
SHINee's Minho runs during the 2026 JTBC Seoul Marathon on Sunday, when a pacing partner was captured on camera appearing to push him from behind. [Online community]

SHINee's Minho has surrendered the finish time from his first full marathon after footage of a pacing partner appearing to push him from behind sparked a fairness controversy.

Runnable, the organizer of the 2026 JTBC Seoul Marathon, said Wednesday that Minho's team had informed it of his decision to give up the recorded time, according to Dispatch.

Minho competed in the race Sunday at World Cup Park in Sangam, Seoul, completing the 42.195-kilometer course in 3 hours, 0 minutes and 18 seconds. The finish, just over three hours on his first full-marathon attempt, drew wide attention.

The controversy erupted after footage circulated showing a pacing partner placing a hand on Minho's lower back and appearing to push him forward during the race.

Some online users argued that receiving physical assistance from another person during a race could constitute illegal aid and raised allegations of a rules violation.

As the controversy spread, Minho's team decided to voluntarily surrender the time. The organizer accepted the decision and resolved the matter by withholding the official race record. The move, however, does not constitute a formal acknowledgment or confirmation that Minho violated any rules.

Minho competed in the Masters category, which is open to amateur participants rather than elite athletes. The organizer did not reach a conclusion on whether World Athletics' 2026 competition and technical rules apply equally to the amateur division, or whether the physical contact in question could be deemed a rules violation.

The surrender of his time is therefore best understood not as an official disqualification for a rules breach, but as a voluntary gesture by Minho's team that the organizer chose to accept amid the public debate over fairness.

Minho posted an apology on his personal channel Tuesday.

"I am sorry for disappointing so many people at the marathon I took part in on Sunday," he wrote. "Everything that happened was due to my own shortcomings, and as someone who cherishes and loves sport, I feel deeply ashamed."

"I apologize for causing concern," he added. "I will not accept this marathon result myself, and I will not forget the lesson I have learned through this experience."


min3654@heraldcorp.com