“A talent Jincheon County lost to the music industry” ... Who is the “idol” who placed third at an international triathlon?

[Financial News] SHINee singer and actor Minho (Choi Min-ho, 34) is drawing attention after it emerged that he placed third in an international triathlon.
According to Tongyeong City and other sources on the 26th, Minho placed third in the 35–39 age group of the amateur division at the 2026 Tongyeong World Triathlon Cup, held over the 24th and 25th around the Triathlon Plaza in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province.
The event, hosted by Tongyeong City and the Korea Triathlon Federation, drew 114 elite athletes and around 1,000 amateur athletes from 35 countries around the world.
Competing in the amateur division, Minho completed all three legs—swimming 1.5 km, cycling 40 km and running 10 km—in 2 hours, 27 minutes and 13 seconds, crossing the finish line in third place. According to what he shared on his personal social media account (SNS), he recorded 26 minutes and 39 seconds in swimming, 1 hour, 14 minutes and 55 seconds in cycling, and 40 minutes and 52 seconds in running.
Several celebrities have competed in triathlons, but Minho is reportedly the first active idol to place among the top finishers in an individual event at an international competition.
Minho shared his thoughts on SNS, writing, “Tongyeong triathlon: done. I want to thank once again everyone who cheered me on. Our Shawols (short for SHINee World, the name of SHINee’s fandom) who came all this way are the best. A sweet finish after all that hard work.”
He also shared a photo taken with his coach and expressed his gratitude, writing, “The best coach, who stayed by my side every day and kept me going whenever I wanted to quit and felt weak.” He added, “You shaped an inadequate student into someone amazing. I’m sincerely grateful. I give all the glory to you, Coach.”
Minho previously competed in the 6th Chungcheongbuk-do Governor’s Cup Chungju Tangeum Lake Triathlon in July last year, finishing in 2 hours, 18 minutes and 43 seconds. Despite symptoms of enteritis at the time, he recorded a result that placed him in the top 23%; with his third-place finish at this event, he put last year’s disappointment behind him.
[email protected] Kim Hee-sun Reporter