Appearing on the Fairy Jaehyung channel on October 5, Lee Junho shared stories from his idol years to his latest project Typhoon Family. When asked about injuries during his idol career, he revealed: “My shoulder was torn, I had eight holes drilled and stitched up. Ligament tears were common. But once, my fourth vertebra actually broke. I remember hearing a crack, then collapsing with a terrible headache. I couldn’t even stand up.”
He continued, “At the hospital, they told me my spine was fractured and that I had to wear a brace. But the very next day, we had an overseas concert. I worried about what to do, but in the end, I still went on stage—because I loved performing.”
Host Jung Jaehyung expressed disbelief, asking how Junho could perform in such a condition. Junho explained: “Back then, it was about keeping promises. These days, people think differently, but at that time, I believed it was my duty to stand before the fans who came to see us. Even if I couldn’t move much, just standing still wasn’t an option. Once the music started, I had to move.”
Describing the experience, he added: “With the brace on, my body was swollen and I could only make small movements. But the adrenaline dulled the pain. After each performance, I had to use a wheelchair backstage. Still, I thought, ‘If I don’t do this, then what’s left for me?’ The idea of letting the fans see a stage without me felt unbearable. I would have been ashamed of myself.”
Junho’s revelation highlights the extreme physical and emotional pressures idols endured in the past, underscoring how much the industry—and its understanding of artist well-being—has evolved since then.
Sources: Daum