If couples go through the “seven-year itch” which estimates the number of years together before one or both members feel trapped and often have an extramarital affair, in music bands, they have what fan communities call the “five-year curse.” Fortunately, for the five-member Korean boy band SHINee, it apparently is spared of the curse.
The group -- made up of Onew, Jonghyun, Key, Minho and Taemin -- have survived the test of time and are now celebrating their ninth year. During these years, members of the band have been given solo breaks, but they never thought of disbanding.
Members of the group said the secret to their longevity as a boy band is having no struggle in communicating with one another. The open communication lines allow them the liberty to do individual projects -- such as Key’s accepting a role in the drama “Drinking Alone” – and finding time to gather and release new music yearly, according to Asiastarz.
SHINee Releases New Album
Their newest release, “1 of 1,” just landed at No. 2 spot on the World Album chat of Billboard. The album was originally scheduled for release in mid-September, but the boy band postponed the release because Onew was injured during a comeback performance on Sept. 4.
Because Onew was ordered by the doctor to wear a cast and minimize his movements, the group decided to postpone the release, indicating how close they are to each other, which is the other secret of the boys' longevity. Member Jonghyun, in a 2015 appearance on tvN’s “Secret Book Club,” explained: “We've shared our sorrows and joys since our trainee days and endured hard times together, so we are even more loving toward one another.”
Key’s Acting Debut
The latest member to try acting is Key who made his acting debut in “Drinking Alone.” The drama, which started to air on Sept. 5 on tvN every Monday and Tuesday at 11 p.m., tackles the slice of life and daily activities of teachers, students and staff of a private institution preparing for the civil service exam.
Key plays one of the 9th grade civil service students of the Noryangjin Institutes. During a guest appearance at “Tei’s Dreaming Radio,” Key admitted he was worried if he should go into acting or not when he was offered the role.
The SHINee member said he accepted the role because the scriptwriter had Key in mind when he created the character Kim Ki Bum, as Allkpop reported.
