On September 24th, Lee Junho appeared as a guest on the web entertainment show “Salon Drip 2” of the YouTube channel “TEO”.
During the show, Junho talked about some unique characteristics of 2PM’s fans. He said, “We (2PM) speak informally to our fans to create a sense of closeness. There’s also an unspoken rule. We’re called ‘oppa’ by fans, even when we’re not actually older brothers, and this breaks down barriers.”
Host Jang Do-yeon mentioned that there are many videos online where celebrities and fans interact after work, often with the question, “Did you eat?” She added, “I heard that Junho is considered the originator of this culture.”
Junho responded, “I’ve been asking ‘Did you eat?’ for almost 17 years now. I think food is very important. When fans come to broadcasts, they often don’t get to eat and have to wait for a long time.”
He recalled, “This was during the ‘A.D.T.O.Y.’ promotion in 2013, before the culture of fan gifts (giving back to fans) existed. Fans came to a broadcast, and I heard they hadn’t eaten. I asked the company if we could buy them some food, and they asked, ‘With whose money?’”
When Jang Do-yeon commented “That sounds harsh”, Junho added, “Back then, there was no culture of giving back to fans. So, I used my own money to provide meals for fans for 17 years, and later, the other members joined in as well.” This story deeply moved everyone.
Although Junho is known for his deep love for fans, he also faced difficult times due to sasaeng fan incidents. He shared, “Our song ‘My House’ became very popular, and maybe because I kept singing ‘Let’s go to my house’, many people actually came to my house. At 3 AM, the doorbell would ring—first at the main entrance, and then at my apartment door, which would keep ringing.”
He continued, “Once, I came home after work, and the door was open. Just as the door closed and the sensor light was about to turn on, someone said, ‘Oppa.’ I was startled, but I tried to stay calm and asked who it was. They replied, ‘It’s me.’”
Junho confessed, “I was confused and saw them sitting on a drink box. When I asked how they got there, they said they came from another country because I had sung ‘Come to my house’. I was shocked to realize that someone actually took that literally and came. I handed them over to my manager. It made me realize the powerful impact a song can have.”