SHINee MINHO Lives His Hoop Dream on 'Rising Eagles,' Hopes to Lift the KBL

SHINee’s MINHO says SBS’s new variety series "Rising Eagles" let him finally live out his childhood dream of being a basketball player ― and he couldn’t be happier.

At a press conference on Nov. 26 at SBS headquarters in Mok-dong, Seoul, the idol-turned-team captain shared, “Through 'Rising Eagles', I was able to achieve what I dreamed of as a kid. It was an honor and a joy.”

"Rising Eagles" puts former KBL star Seo Jang-hoon in the coach’s seat as he builds a celebrity squad with an audacious goal: taking on top competition across Asia. The team will face elite amateur clubs in Korea and even a Filipino celebrity lineup. The roster features captain MINHO alongside 2AM’s Jeong Jin-woon, NCT’s JOHNNY, singer Son Tae-jin, actors Oh Seung-hoon, Park Eun-seok and Kim Taek, models Moon Su-in and Lee Dae-hee, shopping host Park Chan-woong, and 'EXchange' 2 alum and influencer Jung Gyu-min.

A well-known sports enthusiast in the entertainment scene, MINHO said the game fuels him rather than drains him. “Working out relieves my stress and gives me energy,” he noted. “I stay fully committed to my main job while pouring my energy into sports.”

“This show let me feel―even if just a little―what real athletes experience,” he added. “It made me genuinely happy and gave me memories I won’t forget.”

MINHO also said the project deepened his love for the sport. “I picked up new knowledge and grew more serious about basketball,” he said. “I’m friends with Kim Jong-kyu, who’s playing in the Korea Basketball League (KBL), and he’s really curious about the show. If it does well, I hope it can help shine a light on the KBL, even just a bit.”

"Rising Eagles" premieres Saturday, Nov. 29 at 5 p.m. KST on SBS. 

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)