Actor and singer Lee Junho shared a surprising behind-the-scenes story from his early days as a K-pop idol, revealing that intense injuries led doctors to once diagnose him with a “body age” far beyond his actual years.
On December 17, Lee Junho appeared on comedian Lee Yong-jin’s YouTube channel, Yong Tarot, ahead of the release of Netflix’s upcoming series Cashero. During the conversation, the topic turned to his time as a member of 2PM, known for their physically demanding performances.
Recalling the group’s early choreography, Lee Junho explained that 2PM frequently performed acrobatic moves that pushed their bodies to the limit. He debuted as a high school student, around 18 to 19 years old, and was heavily involved in aerial stunts and lifts on stage.
“These days, people talk a lot about protecting idols’ health,” he said, reflecting on the past. “Back then, we did everything — stacking people, flying through the air, all of it.”
However, the intense performances came at a cost. Lee Junho revealed that he suffered multiple serious injuries, including severe damage to his shoulder that required surgery. “During the operation, they had to drill eight holes into my shoulder,” he shared. He also recalled previously fracturing his spine, specifically one of his lumbar vertebrae.
Despite these injuries, he continued performing. “At the time, I would just wear a back brace and go on stage,” he said. Eventually, the accumulated damage led him to visit the hospital, where doctors delivered a shocking diagnosis.
“They told me my physical condition was equivalent to that of a 60-year-old,” Lee Junho revealed. “I was still a teenager, but that’s what they said my body age was.”
The confession surprised host Lee Yong-jin, who joked about how even minor movements can feel dangerous as people get older. Lee Junho responded with humor, adding that cold weather still makes his joints ache, drawing laughter from the studio.
Now active as both an actor and performer, Lee Junho continues to take on physically demanding roles, including his upcoming Netflix series Cashero, which premieres on December 26. The series follows an ordinary office worker who gains superhuman strength proportional to the amount of money he carries, blending everyday struggles with a unique superhero concept.
Lee Junho’s candid story offered fans a deeper look into the physical toll behind his long career, highlighting both the sacrifices made in his youth and the resilience that continues to define his journey.
Editor’s Insight
Junho’s appearance on Yong Tarot serves as a perfect emotional bridge to his role in Netflix’s Cashero, which premiered on December 26, 2025. There is a poetic irony in Junho playing Kang Sang-woong, an ordinary man whose “superpower” is directly tied to the cash he holds. In real life, Junho’s “superpower” has always been his endurance. By the time Cashero hit the top of the Global Top 10 (Non-English) charts in early 2026, fans weren’t just watching a superhero show; they were watching a man who literally rebuilt his body from the ground up.
From an industry perspective, Junho’s candidness about his injuries reflects a massive shift in K-pop. In 2026, “Idol Wellness” is a standard, but in 2008, “the show must go on” meant performing through spinal fractures. Junho’s transition from a “body age of 60” to the face of high-octane action in Cashero—and his upcoming 2026 projects like the superhero series Typhoon Company—proves that he has mastered the art of longevity.
As of April 2, 2026, Junho is currently preparing for his “JUNHO THE BEST” 2026 Fan-Con Tour, where he continues to perform with a precision that defies his medical history. He is no longer the teenager in a back brace; he is the industry’s “Golden Standard” for how to age with grace, strength, and a very healthy sense of humor about his “aching joints.”