Super Junior Responds to Eunhyuk Bullying Allegations and Shares Behind-the-Scenes Insights

Super Junior opened up about their 20-year career and the ups and downs they’ve faced, including addressing the long-running rumor that Eunhyuk was bullied by members of the group. Their candid conversation came during the July 12 episode of JTBC’s variety show Knowing Bros.

The group reflected on their origins as a rotating project team called Super Junior 05, where members could come and go. Eunhyuk explained,
" It hasn’t been a smooth journey. We really had to push through. When we debuted, we were a project group called ‘Super Junior 05,’ where members could rotate or graduate."

Kyuhyun joked about how his arrival changed their path:
"Then I appeared like a comet, and that’s when Super Junior became a fixed group, not a seasonal one."

Even after settling into a permanent lineup, Eunhyuk pointed out that the group still struggled internally, saying,
" We had so many members, and there were so many ups and downs. Making it to our 20th anniversary almost feels unreal."

Lee Soo Geun, the comedian hosting the show, shared his surprise at their longevity,
"Honestly, it must have been hard to imagine you’d last 20 years."

Leeteuk looked back on their earlier years and spoke about the serious nature of some fights within the group,
" Back in our 20s and 30s, arguments would escalate quickly, sometimes even to physical fights."

Kang Ho Dong jumped in with a reminder of their time on Strong Heart,
" Most of your talk segments were about fights between you guys."

Eunhyuk admitted things got so tense that the group even thought about breaking up:
" There was a point where we thought we might disband."

One specific incident Leeteuk recounted has since become a source of rumors about “Eunhyuk bullying.” After a pre-recording, Leeteuk was resting under a red blanket when someone splashed water on him a couple of times. He held back at first, but on the third time, he lost patience and shouted "Stop it." Thinking it was Donghae, he hit Eunhyuk, who was just laughing nearby. It turned out that Kyuhyun was the one responsible for the third prank, so Leeteuk then hit Kyuhyun too. He recalled,
" After a pre-recording, I went to sleep under a red blanket, and someone sprinkled water on me twice. It turned out to be Donghae. I held back, but when it happened a third time, I shouted, ‘Stop it.’ Thinking Donghae did it again, I hit Eunhyuk, who was just laughing nearby."

" But it was actually Kyuhyun who had done it the third time. From under the table, he said, ‘Brother, it was me.’ So I hit Kyuhyun too, and he responded, ‘How could you do this to me?’ We had to go on a live broadcast right after, and I managed to clear things up with everyone except Eunhyuk."

To settle things, Leeteuk proposed a deal to Eunhyuk during the live show:
" Since we didn’t have time to reconcile, I told Eunhyuk, ‘If we win first place today, I want you to give the acceptance speech.’ He was still upset, so his expression was stiff, and instead of thanking the members, he thanked ‘the fellow artists we performed with.’"

This moment sparked a wave of online speculation with the phrase "Eunhyuk bullying" trending widely. Shindong expressed the frustration they felt about airing their disputes publicly:
" It was frustrating. Even if we argue, we shouldn’t show it on stage."

Kyuhyun added a bit of backstage chaos humor,
" Afterward, Shindong, in a fit of anger, kicked a box of drinks, which ended up spilling on Yesung. So they started fighting too."

Leeteuk recalled how even during fights, they had to keep performing, mentioning a memorable trip:
" We had to go to Gangwon-do to film ‘Let’s Go! Dream Team’ while still fighting. The episode was titled ‘Super Junior vs Dream Team.’ When our team won, we all cried and hugged it out."

Eunhyuk summed up the feeling after that breakthrough moment with laughter,
" It felt like winning an Olympic gold medal. That’s how we finally made up."

Through their heartfelt stories during Knowing Bros, Super Junior showed fans the real struggles behind their long-lasting success. Despite misunderstandings and heated moments, their bond has endured for two decades, proving their resilience as a group.