Super Junior’s Shindong Recalls Tense Diet-Era Clash With Yesung

Super Junior’s Shindong has revisited a tense moment with fellow member Yesung, turning an old backstage conflict into a candid and humorous look at how pressure can build inside a long-running idol group.

The story came up during a July 24 episode of Moo No Plan 4, where Shindong appeared as a food companion while hosts Jun Hyun Moo and Kwaktube visited a popular restaurant in Hapcheon. During the conversation, Jun Hyun Moo pointed out that stories about Super Junior often involve the members arguing or clashing with one another, then asked whether Shindong had ever fought with another member.

Shindong answered by recalling a period when he was on a strict diet. At the time, he said he was trying hard to resist eating late at night while managing the demanding routines that come with idol promotions. One day at Inkigayo, he sat alone on a sofa and ate an idol sandwich, a familiar convenience meal in the K-pop broadcast circuit.

That ordinary moment became unexpectedly tense when Yesung made a comment along the lines of Shindong eating again. Shindong said he could not remember the exact wording, but the remark touched a sensitive nerve because he was already struggling with food restriction and self-control. What might have sounded casual in another setting felt much sharper in that moment.

A Small Comment Became A Bigger Flashpoint

Shindong explained that the exchange was not rooted in a serious feud, but in the emotional weight of the situation. He was dieting, hungry, and sensitive to comments about eating. In response, he teased Yesung back, only for the mood to escalate further when Yesung challenged him verbally. Shindong admitted that he then responded bluntly despite Yesung being older than him.

The anecdote also highlighted the group’s familiar variety-show chemistry. Rather than rushing in immediately, Shindong said the nearby members gathered around with excited expressions, as if they were waiting to see what would happen next. A manager eventually stepped in and stopped the situation before it could go further.

Although the memory involved real irritation, Shindong told it as a comic behind-the-scenes story rather than a lingering grievance. His delivery emphasized how intense schedules, dieting, hierarchy, and constant proximity can make small comments feel bigger inside an idol team’s daily life. For veteran groups, those moments often become part of a shared history that can later be retold with laughter.

Shindong Also Ranked Super Junior’s Toughest Members

The conversation then shifted into a lighter discussion of who among Super Junior would be strongest in a fight. Shindong placed Siwon at the top, pointing to his taekwondo experience and boxing training for acting roles. He then suggested that he himself might be second or third, while also naming Donghae as someone who would be difficult to beat because of his muscular build and boxing ability.

Shindong joked that the rest of the members were roughly similar, before putting Ryeowook in last place. He described Ryeowook’s imagined fighting style in playful terms, comparing it to light swats, pinching, and biting rather than serious physical force.

The comments fit a pattern that longtime Super Junior fans know well. The group has spent nearly two decades turning blunt honesty, teasing, and old arguments into public entertainment, especially on variety programs. Their stories often work because they balance friction with familiarity: the members can describe uncomfortable moments while still making clear that the group has survived them as part of its broader bond.

For Shindong, the Yesung story also points to a larger reality of idol life. Dieting, public image pressure, and packed music-show schedules can make artists unusually vulnerable to remarks that outsiders might dismiss as minor. His account shows how easily tension can rise when a performer is already managing stress behind the scenes.

At the same time, the way Shindong framed the memory kept the focus on perspective rather than conflict. The episode did not present the clash as a scandal or unresolved dispute. Instead, it became another example of how Super Junior’s members continue to turn their long history together into candid, self-aware television moments that reveal both the strain and humor of idol teamwork.