'I was worried my fans would be sad': Super Junior's Heechul reveals disability 18 years after car accident

Almost two decades after his car accident, Heechul from the K-pop group Super Junior has now revealed it left him disabled.

On an episode of the variety talk show series My Little Old Boy which aired on Jan 12, the 41-year-old visited a shaman who remarked that he experienced a big turning point in his 20s.

"Your body's axis was greatly affected then," she added.

Heechul then brought up his car accident in 2006, which led her to warn him: "Be cautious in July 2025. Be careful in the summer. If you get a fracture or break something, you could really become disabled."

To this, Heechul revealed a secret he had kept for years.

"Actually, I've never revealed this anywhere, but I have a disability rating," he said.

"After receiving the disability rating, I went with my manager to get the sticker that you place on the front of your car. But when I got there, I thought, 'No, I should live more actively,' and decided not to take it."

He added he didn't want to admit his body was in pain.

"I thought if I overcame it, it'd be fine… I didn't originally talk about this because I was worried my fans would be sad if they heard, 'Your oppa got a disability rating.'"

In 2006, Heechul met with a car accident while he was returning to Seoul after attending the wake of fellow Super Junior member Donghae's father. He reportedly suffered injuries that required 12 weeks of treatment, including fractures in his femur and ankle, and underwent significant surgery in which seven metal pins were inserted into his body.

Heechul's mother, who was watching the video clip of the shaman visit from the studio, said that thinking about the accident still makes her teary.

"He's a bit better now, but he said his legs hurt so much when he's on stage. His bones were shattered, and his thigh bone was severely damaged, so they had to insert a metal rod," she recalled.

"The doctor said he wouldn't be able to dance anymore, but fortunately, after surgery, he was able to move, though the pain still makes it hard for him."

Heechul also asked the shaman about marriage during his consultation.

"You can get married at any time. If you put your mind to it, you can do it this year. But you'll be lonely even after you get married. The right person has passed. You should abandon your desire to meet your match made in heaven," she said.

"You should meet someone who doesn't interfere because you are a subjective person."

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syarifahsn@asiaone.com