SHINee's Onew eased fans' worries by directly revealing the eating habits that fueled past health scare rumors—and how he was doing at the time.
On the 24th, Onew appeared on the web variety show 'Deokbapjip' and had a lively chat with TVXQ's Max Changmin. The two pulled out snacks they had modeled for back in the day, sparked nostalgia, and even cracked ad-ready jokes aimed at the brands.
Amid the cheerful mood, Max Changmin said, "I heard you like sweets," bringing up Onew's eating habits. Onew replied, "I loved sugary things so much that I once thought, 'I could live on just this,'" before confessing, "There was a time I actually lived on cake alone."
But those habits ultimately led to a downturn in his health. Onew admitted, "Keeping that up, my condition definitely got worse." Hearing this, Max Changmin recalled, "You lost so much weight then—we were really worried," adding, "People around us even said it was dangerous," to underscore how serious it was.
In fact, during promotions, Onew appeared visibly thinner, prompting fans to speculate about potential health issues. After SHINee's eighth full-length album 'HARD' promotions in 2024, Onew temporarily halted activities due to health reasons.
Now, he's doing much better. Onew added, "These days, I'm managing my health with both exercise and a proper diet."