Appearing on the November 26 episode of MBC’s Radio Star (Ep. 942), Lee Min-woo reminisced about his time at SM and the special bond he shared with its former executive producer. He shared, “Even the other members don’t know this Lee Soo-man once privately gave me a signed check as pocket money.”
He also recalled the promotions for Shinhwa’s third full album ONLY ONE, stating, “He gathered us and praised me a lot while watching our performance footage. Even in parts that weren’t mine, he told me to move to the center. He supported me continuously after that, even making me the main character in the ‘Hey Come On!’ music video.”
Min-woo humorously revealed that fellow member Jun Jin often expressed jealousy over the favoritism. “Jun Jin would always stand right next to me on stage, trying to get praise too. He’d even step slightly ahead of me!” he laughed.
However, Lee also disclosed that the two no longer keep in contact. After his contract with SM expired, he chose to pursue an independent path. At that time, Lee Soo-man sent him a heartfelt farewell email, which read, “I regret not being able to make you Korea’s Usher. Thank you, and I wish you good health.”
“I’ve kept that email to this day. I just can’t delete it,” Min-woo shared, visibly touched.
He also boldly claimed that he was once the most popular member of Shinhwa, citing data from idol merchandise sales in stationery shops. “I saw the breakdown of our merch sales and thought, ‘Why are we splitting profits equally?’ So I requested individual settlements. My popularity was overwhelming. Surprisingly, the least popular were Eric and Andy,” he said.
Lee Min-woo’s candid revelations gave fans a rare behind-the-scenes look at idol life during first-generation K-pop and the close, yet complex, relationships that shaped it.
Sources: Daum
You must be logged in to post a comment.