The picture, seemingly from middle or high school days, shows Leehan smoking a cigarette.
Fans have criticised Leehan for smoking as a minor. (Photo Credits: Instagram)
BOYNEXTDOOR’s Leehan has found himself in the middle of a controversy after a picture of the idol from his pre-debut days surfaced online showing him smoking as a minor. The picture in question shows Leehan holding a cigarette in his hands while exhaling the smoke from his mouth. While it was unclear whether the singer was in middle or high school, it is likely that he was still underage. Smoking as a minor is considered illegal in South Korea, even the sale of tobacco to minors remains prohibited by law.
The picture also features another person, whose face was covered with an emoji to avoid disclosure of identity. The picture went instantly viral, leaving fans divided. Many criticised Leehan for his actions, considering underage drinking and smoking are disregarded in the country, others came out in his support. One wrote, “If only smoke was seen in the photo, he could’ve explained it away, but as a cigarette is being held right in view, he can’t deny it even,” while another added, “Even just by his graduation pic… Personally, I’m fascinated by how such kids even think of debuting. Smoking underaged is FR only what really bad kids do.”
Many even referred to the pre-debut graduation picture of the star, where Leehan’s harsh wording for the yearbook photo also gained immense criticism among fans.
On the other hand, many other fans asked haters to not interfere in his personal life. One added, “Doesn’t look like Lee Han at all, so don’t post stuff like this when you don’t even know properly.” Another argued, “But the hand holding the cigarette isn’t Kim I-han’s; it’s the friend next to him holding the cigarette.”
One of his fans mocked the hate comments and added, “Leehan smoked pre-debut, and everyone’s acting like his parents.” One commented, “Why did smoking make them a bad person? I smoke; I vape. Does that make me a bad person? You are literally ACCUSING Leehan of doing DRUGS and making the members do drugs. That’s BULLYING and SLANDER.”
Amid the heated debate on the internet, HYBE, the agency behind BOYNEXTDOOR is yet to react to the picture. The six-member K-pop boy band is represented by KOZ Entertainment, a subsidiary of HYBE. They debuted in May 2023, with their first single album titled Who.
