5 K-pop idols with weird allergies: BTS’ Jin can’t eat garlic or potatoes, Twice’s Jihyo avoids pineapples and NCT’s Jeno is allergic to cats – but has 3 of them
Plenty of people suffer from common allergies such as cat dander or nuts – and K-pop stars are no exception. In fact, some of Korea’s biggest stars seem to be allergic to some truly odd things. Let’s take a look …
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BTS’ Jin has a garlic and potato allergy
However, earlier this year, Jin opened up about his allergies – including garlic and potato! Back in 2019, Jin posted on Weverse that he had been tested for allergies “because he was itching everywhere on his body”.
“The doctor shared a shocking diagnosis,” he added, “telling me to cut down on garlic.”
Then, on episode 125 of Run BTS, we learned that Jin can’t eat potatoes either. According to Koreaboo, in a behind-the-scenes clip from the show, he said he’s had to give up cooking as a hobby because of it. But he is apparently slightly less allergic to garlic than he is to potatoes and is still able to eat some dishes with a little garlic in them, like kimchi.
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Nu’est’s Min-hyun has is allergic to dust … and salt
Min-hyun from Nu’est, who is also known for being a former Wanna One member, reportedly suffers from both salt and dust allergies. This fact first came to light because of the group’s music video for Overcome, where the group sing in what appears to be a snowy scene. In an interview Min-hyun gave later on, he said that the “snow” in the video was made out of salt. It was then that he realised he had an allergic reaction to it.
Min-hyun also opened up about his bad dust allergy during an appearance on MBC’s I Live Alone back in 2019. On the reality show, we see him meticulously cleaning everything and dusting every corner, earning him nicknames like “emperor of cleanliness” and “cleaning genius”. He even called cleaning one of his hobbies. Fans were left with no doubt that he’d make a great husband after watching the episode, although sadly the habit stems from his dust allergies.
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Twice’s Jihyo has a pineapple allergy
According to Koreaboo, Jihyo once told a fan during a meeting with them that if she eats a pineapple, her throat becomes itchy.
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Kim Woo-seok has a lens allergy
Former X1 member Kim Woo-seok has a lens allergy. Unfortunately, he has poor eyesight – and is a K-pop idol – so regularly finds himself in situations where he needs to wear them. His eyes are so sensitive to contact lenses that they get itchy and red even when he wears them for a few hours, so apart from performances that require lenses, you’ll mostly find the singer wearing glasses.
And he wears them well too. According to MBC Sports News, he was named one of the K-pop idols who wears glasses the best in a vote for Idol Champ in 2019.
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Jeno from NCT is allergic to cats – but he owns three of them!
If you’re an NCT fan, you’ll already know that Jeno is a huge cat lover and proud owner of three of them. But did you know that he also has a cat allergy?
Jeno melted hearts when fans discovered that he rescued his first cat from the street and then went on to adopt two more. If that doesn’t prove he’s a good guy – given that he’s terribly allergic to them – then we don’t know what does.
- BTS’ premier cook Jin had to give up his beloved hobby after discovering he was allergic to garlic and potatoes, and Kim Woo-seok is sensitive to contact lenses
- Nu’est’s Min-hyun earned the title ‘cleaning genius’ for his overzealous tidying on reality TV show I Live Alone – but it was really because of his dust allergy