SHINee’s Taemin Suspects He Might Be Neurodivergent For The Most Unexpected Reason

During a recent appearance on Lee Hyeri‘s popular YouTube show Hyeri’s Club, SHINee‘s Taemin confessed he suspects he may be neurodivergent and have ADHD (also known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).

The K-Pop superstar revealed that his tendency to forget things has made him question if he could have the neurodevelopmental disorder.

Hyeri — teasing him about his reputation for constantly losing things — asked how he manages to misplace items so frequently. Taemin responded with a laugh, admitting that his forgetfulness is so extreme that he started to think he might have ADHD.

He explained that after coming across a video online, he learned that frequent forgetfulness and losing things are common symptoms of ADHD, leading him to consider the possibility.

I even started to wonder if I have ADHD because of it. Yeah, because one day, I was just watching something through the YouTube algorithm and it said that a characteristic of ADHD is forgetfulness and frequently losing things. I thought, “That could be me.”

— SHINee’s Taemin

Taemin shared a few humorous examples of his forgetfulness, including a day when he managed to lose two pairs of AirPods within hours of each other. He bought a new pair after losing the first, only to misplace them again later that same day. He also mentioned how he often loses his phone during outings and doesn’t realize it until he gets home empty-handed.

There was a time when I lost them [airpods] twice in one day. I lost them, bought a new pair, and then lost that one. And when I go out for gatherings, I always lose my phone and when I get home, I have nothing with me.

— SHINee’s Taemin

One of the more surprising anecdotes Taemin shared was how he sometimes forgets to take a jacket with him after practice, only noticing when he steps outside and feels the cold. Taemin’s confession shocked even Hyeri, who found him losing something as big as a jacket hard to believe.

Hyeri: How do you lose a jacket?

Taemin: You don’t?

Hyeri: It’s too big.

Taemin: I might forget it, like after practice.

Hyeri: Forget? When you step outside and it’s cold you’ll think, “It’s a bit chilly, why did I come out like this?”

When asked by Hyeri if there was anything he deeply regretted losing, Taemin’s response was characteristically laid-back. He said there wasn’t anything specific that he felt bad about losing, as he tends to just accept it when something is gone, figuring that there’s always a replacement.

TAEMIN WE ARE HERE WE HAVE ARRIVED THIS IS OUR TIME WE NEURODIVERGENT PEOPLES UNITE pic.twitter.com/FZTIQ5DMKP

— ✰ (@taepudina) August 23, 2024

Taemin’s confession has already gained attention online, with fans thankful the topic of ADHD is becoming more talked about in Korea. You can watch the full episode of Hyeri’s Club below.