SHINee's Minho Missed Sub-3 by 18 Seconds, Then a Pacer's Push Wrecked the Story

SHINee's Minho has apologized and said he won't accept his own marathon result, after a video showed a pacer's hand on his back mid-race. He finished the 2026 JTBC Seoul Marathon on the 1st in 3 hours, 0 minutes, 18 seconds, just 18 seconds short of the coveted sub-3 mark.

The apology came on the 3rd, via his social media. "I'm sorry for disappointing so many people at the marathon I took part in on November 1," he wrote. He called everything the result of his own shortcomings and said he felt great shame as someone who loves sport.

He promised to be more careful so it doesn't happen again. "I will not accept this marathon result myself, and I will not forget the lesson I learned from this," he added, closing with respect for runners who put in countless hours of sweat.

From proud finisher to rules debate

Before the video, the story was a feel-good one. Minho ran his first full 42.195km in rain, finished, and posted his completion certificate himself. His caption celebrated a safe first full marathon, lamented missing sub-3 by 18 seconds, and called it a valuable experience, saying that's why life is a marathon. (Sub-3 means finishing a full marathon in under three hours, a benchmark serious amateurs chase for years.)

Then, on the 2nd, a clip surfaced on an online community. It showed a pacer reaching out and pushing Minho's back as he ran. The question became whether that went beyond simply matching his speed.

The rulebook is blunt. Under World Athletics technical rules (Rule 6.3, items 1 or 6, as cited in the coverage), physical assistance that helps an athlete move forward during a race can lead to disqualification. Helping a fallen runner up is the exception. Whether the push in the video counts is the open argument.

Split reactions online

Netizens didn't agree. Defenders asked what the problem even was, called it no big deal, and noted he wasn't competing for a podium, so this was effectively a hobby run. Others said Minho should be disqualified, with some calling for his time to be voided outright.

Minho's statement doesn't dispute the footage or argue the rules. It simply gives up the result, which is one way to end the fight before officials weigh in.