Long-time K-Pop fans know: OG boy group Shinhwa was the first idol to release a nude photobook—shocking fans in the most unexpected way. That said, member Lee Minwoo revealed a shocking detail about this past.
On April 13, 2026 (KST), the sunbae idol guested on Super Junior Donghae and Eunhyuk‘s YouTube channel alongside fellow member Andy. As soon as they arrived, the production team brought out a copy of Shinhwa’s nude photobook. Donghae couldn’t hide his amazement, exclaiming “Wow” as he flipped through it. Eunhyuk jokingly added, “Shouldn’t this be in a museum?”
When the producer revealed that the photobook had been purchased secondhand, Lee Minwoo asked how much it cost. The PD responded, “Around ₩200,000 KRW (about $135 USD) to ₩300,000 KRW (about $202 USD),” surprising everyone.
As they continued flipping through the photobook, Donghae asked how many copies had been made. Lee Minwoo responded, “I don’t know the exact number, but there was an issue on the production side, so we didn’t even receive proper payment,” revealing the shocking truth.
I think they only printed tens of thousands of copies at the time and didn’t produce more after that, which is why it’s probably a rare item now.
— Lee Minwoo
Meanwhile, hoobae idols Donghae and Eunhyuk made it clear that times have changed, laughing as they insisted Super Junior would’ve never gone through with something like that. From the concept alone, they said they would’ve questioned the sanity behind it—proving just how unhinged Shinhwa’s era really was.
Watch the full clip here: