SHINee’s Onew to go on hiatus due to “health issues”

South Korean singer Onew of K-pop boyband SHINee is going on hiatus ahead of the group’s upcoming comeback.

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Onew’s label SM Entertainment announced today (June 9) via its fan community platform Kwangya Club that the K-pop idol would be going on a temporary hiatus ahead of the group’s long-awaited comeback. The statement has also since been published on Twitter by SM Town USA.

In the statement, SM Entertainment said that Onew had “visited the hospital after experiencing health issues”, with doctors advising the K-pop idol that he “will be needing medical care and rest”.

“After careful and extensive discussion with Onew and the group, a decision was made to have Onew focus on recovering for the time being,” SM Entertainment said, adding that the singer would be “unable to participate in the upcoming concert and album activities”.

The K-pop agency also stated that SHINee’s upcoming concert and album activities will proceed with the boyband’s three other members: Key, Minho and Taemin.

“We will do out best to assist Onew to meet the fans again in good health and will inform you as soon as he is recovered and able to return to the stage,” SM Entertainment added. “And we’d like to emphasise that this decision was made to ensure that SHINee may continue their activities in good health for a long time.”

[NOTICE] Official announcement via KWANGYA CLUB regarding ONEW’s upcoming activities pic.twitter.com/FQUBx00agO

— SMTOWN USA (@SMTOWN_USA) June 9, 2023

SHINee are set to release their eighth studio album ‘Hard’ later this month, on June 26. In the lead up to the record, the boyband are also set to drop a brand-new single called ‘The Feeling’ tomorrow (June 10).

Meanwhile, SHINee’s Taemin previously teased that the boyband have plans for multiple new music releases this year. “Please be fully prepared for just how many comebacks there will be,” he said during the boyband’s 15th anniversary fan meeting in May.

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