The K-Pop Group Who Fought Before Their “Inkigayo” Stage, Leading To A “Very Awkward” Encore

Super Junior‘s Leeteuk, Siwon, and Shindong formed the second-generation group’s sixth sub-unit, Super Junior-L.S.S., in July 2023.

The sub-unit released their first Korean single in January 2024, and to celebrate the release, they appeared on fellow Super Junior member Ryeowook‘s new talk show, Life Snapshot.

Super Junior’s Ryeowook, Shindong, Siwon, and Leeteuk | @heyday.official_/Instagram

This year, Super Junior will celebrate their 19th anniversary on November 6, and including their training periods, the members have spent over two decades together.

Having spent so much of their lives together, they’ve understandably shared good times and difficulties, and the veteran group has often been open about fights that have occurred among the members over the years.

(From left:) Super Junior’s Heechul, Shindong, Ryeowook, Donghae, Kyuhyun, Siwon, Yesung, Eunhyuk, and Leeteuk | @SJofficial/Twitter

During their Life Snapshot episode, Ryeowook, Leeteuk, Shindong, and Siwon revisited one fight in particular, which had its aftermath very publicly displayed during their Inkigayo encore stage in 2011.

The group had just won number 1 for their song “Mr. Simple,” as usual, they stood on stage to accept their trophy and perform the encore. While it’s usually a happy occasion, there were a few members who looked less than thrilled, but it had nothing to do with what was occurring on stage.

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The group explained what happened leading up to the encore stage in an episode of Strong Heart. Eunhyuk had revealed that they had been preparing for a joint performance with then-labelmates f(x) when Luna injured herself during rehearsals, requiring a hospital visit.

Since the members were feeling down about Luna’s injury, Leeteuk attempted to make them feel better by allowing them to “prank” him, assuring the younger members that he would be a good sport about it.

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While Leeteuk laid down to rest, drawing a blanket over his face, member Donghae decided to pour water on him, which the Super Junior leader accepted with a smile but asked him not to do again. Donghae, however, hilariously decided to try again, with Leeteuk less accepting of the prank but still calm as he asked him not to do it a third time.

At that moment, maknae Kyuhyun entered the room, unaware of the prior hijinks and wanting to participate in the prank Donghae had planned. Kyuhyun then poured the water on Leeteuk, who was “furious,” and went after Eunhyuk and Kyuhyun, who were nearest him.

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Eunhyuk shared that Leeteuk had made peace with Kyuhyun after the fight but not with himself, which led him to “dryly” deliver their award acceptance speech on Inkigayo. The members described their encore stage that day as “very awkward” overall, thanks to the fight they had just had.

During Life Snapshot, Leeteuk confessed he had “hit” Kyuhyun and Eunhyuk, who were both still mad about it when they were on Inkigayo.

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Leeteuk admitted the story wasn’t easy to discuss on broadcast, and other pranks had led up to his reaction and the group members’ fight.

He had explained on Strong Heart that the situation was so serious at the time that he wondered if it would be the fight that led to their disbandment, calling it their “biggest crisis.”

Their tense encore stage had even led Shindong to kick a styrofoam box in anger after they returned to their waiting room. The box contained soda that sprayed on Yesung, who hadn’t been involved in the fight but was then upset about being sprayed.

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After their tense interactions, they still had another schedule that day, and the members appeared on the variety program Dream Team.

During the variety show, they won first place, and their teamwork was so good that they eventually made up.

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Leeteuk shared that the group now tells the story only because they had made up quickly after the fight.

Check out the Super Junior members’ revisiting the story during the first Life Snapshot episode below!