SHINee’s Taemin Regrets Debuting So Young

Debuting K-Pop idols when they are young, particularly underage, is a controversial topic that many fans are divided on.

SHINee‘s Taemin debuted when he was only 14 years old! It was just a couple of months before his 15th birthday.

Recently, his fellow SHINee member Minho asked, “If you could go back to before when you debuted, would you debut when you’re 3rd year of middle school or when you’re an adult?” Taemin would prefer having debuted as an adult, but he would only change it if he could still debut with his SHINee members.

Honestly, I think it’d be when I become an adult only if I can debut with my members (as it is).

— Taemin

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Taemin recognized the challenges he and his members had by being so young. He also believes that they should have been able to experience ordinary things from youth, such as school trips.

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Taemin: There are things we need to experience at certain ages, but looking back, our members and I had a difficult time. [We should’ve been] running around and experiencing certain things at that age, like going on school trips, becoming the class president… You know, I could’ve been at the top of my class.

Key: I’m sure you could’ve.

Taemin will never know if he would have been class president.

Watch the clip below.

Minho Taemin : if you could go back to (pick when) your debut day; debuting on 3rd grade middle school or when you already an adult?

Taemin : honestly i think it’d be when i become adult only if i can debut with my members (as it is). Because the things we went through… pic.twitter.com/tdK8QoUilK

— (@earthtotaemin) November 7, 2023