Last year, Starship revealed that Shownu had been diagnosed with retinal detachment in his left eye. Since then, the idol had undergone surgery and received constant treatment to prevent relapse. As a result, the label announced ShownuŌĆÖs hiatus on Monday. According to their statement, Shownu had started feeling pain in his eye after being exposed to bright lights during MONSTA XŌĆÖs comeback preparations. Because the doctors advised Shownu to rest, Starship stated that after discussions with Shownu and the other MONSTA X members, they decided that Shownu would not participate in promotional activities for MONSTA XŌĆÖs new mini-album One of a Kind.
Below is StarshipŌĆÖs official statement.
ŌĆ£This is Starship Entertainment. We would like to announce MONSTA X SHOWNUŌĆÖs current health condition and his participation in future promotion plans. In July 2020, SHOWNU was diagnosed with ŌĆ£Left Retinal Detachment (Amotio Retinae)ŌĆØ and had to undergo emergency surgery following the official diagnosis from the specialist. The surgery was successful, and ever since then, SHOWNU has been getting his eyes checked regularly to prevent a recurrence as the medical condition is not easy to cure completely. Recently, SHOWNU felt discomfort in the eye due to excessive exposure to strong lighting while preparing for MONSTA XŌĆÖs upcoming album. He immediately visited the hospital for an examination and received appropriate medical treatment. The result showed that the discomfort was caused by sub-retinal fluid and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) as a complication of the retinal detachment, and SHOWNU was advised to take time off for a considerable amount of rest to avoid a relapse and further deterioration. First and foremost, Starship Entertainment places a priority on our artistsŌĆÖ health. After careful discussion with all members of MONSTA X, including SHOWNU himself, we concluded that SHOWNU will take a hiatus, not participating in the upcoming official promotional activities of MONSTA XŌĆÖs 9th mini-album, ŌĆ£One of a KindŌĆØ. As a result, MONSTA X will continue with the rest of the 5 members for official promotions for the time being. We kindly ask for your understanding as we plan to decide on SHOWNUŌĆÖs future participation flexibly based on consultation with SHOWNUŌĆÖs medical specialists. Currently, SHOWNU is taking a rest and Starship Entertainment will take the best measures for his fast recovery. We sincerely extend our apologies for suddenly breaking the news to our fans who always support and love MONSTA X. Thank you.ŌĆØ ┬Ā Source (1)
