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On the January 12, 2025, episode of SBS’s My Little Old Boy, Heechul visited a fortune teller with fellow Super Junior member Kim Jong-min, where he revealed a deeply personal and painful chapter of his life that he had never shared with fans. He calmly admitted,
“I’ve never told anyone, but I actually have a disability rating.”
During their conversation, the fortune teller described his life as one driven by chance and mentioned a major turning point in his 20s. This comment prompted the singer to reflect on the traumatic car accident he experienced in 2006.
Heechul opens up about his disability rating
Heechul recounted that the accident occurred while he was returning to Seoul after attending the funeral of fellow member Donghae’s father. The crash left him with severe injuries, including fractures in his femur and ankle, requiring 12 weeks of recovery and major surgery to insert seven metal rods. He was later diagnosed with a Grade 4 disability.
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The fortune teller added that his “body’s axis had been damaged” and warned him to be especially cautious in July, advising that even a minor injury could have significant consequences.
He shared that he once visited a center with his manager to obtain a disability sticker for his car but ultimately decided against it. He thought he should live more actively and didn’t get the sticker.
“I didn’t want to admit my pain. I believed that if I pushed through, I’d be fine. That was over a decade ago. I never told the fans because I didn’t want them to feel sad hearing, ‘Your oppa has a disability rating.’” he said
His mother also became emotional as she recalled the accident.
“He had been returning from paying respects at Donghae’s father’s funeral when the crash happened. Even now, it brings tears to my eyes,” she said.
She shared that his injuries were severe, with shattered bones and significant damage to his thigh bone, which required the insertion of a metal rod. Although doctors initially predicted he would never dance again, he was able to regain mobility after surgery. However, she noted that the pain still persists, particularly when he performs on stage.
More about Super Junior’s Heechul
Before debuting with Super Junior, Heechul began his acting career in 2005 with Sharp 2 and later hosted shows and appeared in advertisements. In 2006, a car accident left him unable to perform intense choreography, shifting his focus to singing. He released his first solo single, First Star, in 2009 and debuted as a solo artist with Old Movie in 2019.
The K-pop artist gained recognition as a host on shows like Knowing Bros and My Little Old Boy, earning multiple awards, including the Excellence Award at SBS Entertainment Awards.
From 2022 to 2023, Heechul participated in various web shows, including Real Marketing Show: Production 522, Game Addendum, Lineage W Rap Up, Pink Rye, and One Earth: ARTPIA. Additionally, he took on the role of a new MC for Boss in the Mirror. On September 24, 2022, Heechul hosted Chengdong Travel Visual Radio.
Super Junior released their latest song, Show Time, on June 11, 2024, to promote their Super Show Spin-Off: Halftime tour. However, Heechul could not be part of the song or the tour.
