SHINee's Choi Minho (left) and NCT's Johnny at the Shoot of Asia basketball match between South Korean and Filipino celebrities, held at the Mall of Asia Arena last October 26, 2025. Photos courtesy of Bench
At first glance, K-pop and basketball might seem worlds apart — one built on music and choreography, the other on athletic prowess. But for K-pop stars Choi Minho of SHINee and Johnny of NCT, the two aren't as different as they might seem.
“I think the nervousness is always there both on the stage as an idol and on the court as a player,” Minho said through an interpreter at a press conference in Manila for the recent “Shoot of Asia” exhibition game between Filipino and South Korean celebrities.
The two were asked if the pressure of competing in a game feels different from the pressure of performing onstage.
“As an idol myself, every time you go on the stage, we really have to make sure that our performances are perfect so we really devote ourselves to practice,” Minho continued.
In basketball, Minho added, “starting from the bench down to playing all the games, the nervousness is always there [too]. And of course, the practice has to be there.”
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The 33-year-old singer-actor served as team captain for the South Korean team Rising Eagles, which was formed as part of a reality sports program to be aired on Korean broadcaster SBS.
Minho seemed to bring the same passionate attitude that earned him the nickname “Flaming Charisma” to the Rising Eagles, drawing praise from his teammates.
“On and off the court, he's very passionate,” said actor Park Eun-seok. “I’ve heard about it but when I saw him in person, like he’s really really energetic.”
“Whether we win or lose, he always has his fighting spirit that lifts us up,” Eun-seok added.
READ: SHINee’s Minho shares ‘driving force’ behind passionate attitude
Johnny echoed Minho’s sentiment that in both K-pop and basketball, “the nervousness is still there.”
“But while being on the stage to perform, I exert all my energy toward the audiences who come to our shows,” Johnny said.
“For being a basketball player, during competition, I guess the energy also really goes to the audiences who come to cheer,” he added.
The match saw the Rising Eagles face off against Kuys Showtime, a team that included "It's Showtime" hosts Vhong Navarro and Jhong Hilario, as well as former "Pinoy Big Brother" housemates River Joseph and Dustin Yu, among other local stars.
READ: Team Kuys Showtime did not expect basketball match with K-idols to be so serious
When asked about the long-term goals for the Rising Eagles, Korean basketball legend–turned–TV personality Seo Jang-hoon, who serves as the team’s coach, frankly admitted that it depends on the program’s ratings.
"If we do have high viewer rates, we can still continue," he said, noting that this is the reality for TV shows in South Korea.
"But if no one watches, it might just suddenly disappear," he added.
Jang-hoon, best known as a cast member of the variety show “Knowing Bros,” said it was challenging to plan long-term activities since the team includes K-pop stars who often have packed schedules.
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