SHINee's Key to withdraw from activities after allegedly receiving illegal medical services
SHINee member Key has broken his silence amid allegations that he received illegal medical treatment, with his agency stating that he will be withdrawing from all his ongoing programs.
The South Korean singer took to his Instagram account to post an apology for the various issues he was involved in recently. While he did not specify the allegations in detail, reports from Soompi and The Korea Herald stated that Key allegedly received medical treatment from a woman accused of illegally providing medical services.
"I sincerely apologize for causing many people concern with the various issues related to me recently," he wrote, as translated by Soompi. "I, too, was confused and flustered by the newly revealed facts, and I apologize for not being able to quickly organize my thoughts and clarify what I will do moving forward sooner."
"I had always prided myself on being able to distance myself from such issues, but I feel incredibly sorry and ashamed toward the many people who trusted and supported me as I believe that thought is what prevented me from looking around my surroundings more wisely," he continued.
Key assured fans that he will do everything he can regarding this matter.
"I will once again take time to reflect on myself and my surroundings. Once again, I am truly sorry," he ended.
According to reports, Key was being linked to a woman, identified as Lee, who is known as the "injection aunt." Speculation began after fans spotted a photo of a dog resembling Key’s pet and snippets of messages exchanged with him on Lee’s Instagram account.
The singer's agency, SM Entertainment, has addressed the matter in a statement and explained the circumstances surrounding the controversy.
"On an acquaintance’s recommendation, Key visited a hospital located in Gangnam where Ms. Lee works and was first introduced to her as a doctor. Key continued to receive treatment at that hospital, and on several recent occasions when visiting the hospital was difficult, he received medical care at home," they said.
"Believing Ms. Lee to be a physician—and with Ms. Lee offering no indication to the contrary—Key did not realize that receiving care at home could be problematic," they continued.
They stressed how the singer "became aware for the first time that Lee is not a licensed physician" and that he was "extremely confused and is deeply reflecting on his own lack of awareness."
The agency revealed that Key has now decided to withdraw from his currently scheduled activities and step down from the programs he will appear in due to the gravity of the matter.
Key debuted as a member of the boy band SHINee in 2008 along with Onew, Minho, and Taemin. He went on to dip his toes into acting, starring in television dramas like Drinking Solo and The Guardians.
He eventually made his debut as a soloist in November 2018 with the release of the digital single Forever Yours, and his first studio album, Face.
