THE 8 (Xu Minghao, 徐明浩), a member of popular K-pop boy group SEVENTEEN, recently became embroiled in plastic surgery rumors due to perceived changes in his appearance. His refined look during a recent W GALA event in Macau drew enthusiastic praise from fans, but some netizens noticed his nose appeared different from before, leading to speculation about cosmetic surgery. The discussion quickly spread online.
After footage of THE 8's W GALA stage in Macau was released, many fans were immediately captivated by his visuals, leaving excited comments such as, "Oh my god! He's incredibly handsome, absolutely gorgeous!" and "Xu Minghao truly shone at the W GALA!" However, amidst the praise, some netizens focused on his nose, believing its shape looked different from before. They took to social media to ask, "Am I crazy? Why is no one noticing his nose looks different?" and "Are my eyes playing tricks on me?"
Some fans were distressed by the discussion, with one exclaiming, "Is my favorite Minghao's round nose going to disappear? Please, everyone, stop messing with your faces!" Another commented, "If Minghao really got a nose job, I would be devastated!" Others argued that many idols pursuing similar 'refined' nose shapes are losing their unique characteristics. Comments included, "Why get a nose job? Those standardized nose shapes are so boring, everyone ends up looking the same and losing their original charm." One fan pleaded, "Minghao, please don't change your nose, your nose is truly beautiful!"
However, a large number of fans refuted the plastic surgery speculation, arguing that the claims were unfounded. Some pointed out that THE 8 had posted a photo with fellow member Jun (Wen Junhui, 文俊輝) just the day before, and his nose appeared normal in that picture. They argued it would be impossible for such a significant change to occur due to surgery in just one day.
Furthermore, other netizens speculated that THE 8 might have simply used special makeup techniques or worn a nose-shaping accessory to make his bridge appear higher. Combined with factors like camera angles and filters, this could have made his nose look different. One person rationally analyzed, "Can everyone calm down and think for a moment? How could a nose change overnight? It's probably just makeup, or maybe even special props, especially since Halloween just passed recently."
Another fan stated, "In his photo with Jun, his nose looks perfectly normal. Maybe he just wore a nose-shaping enhancer." Some were even more certain, declaring, "I am 100% sure Minghao just used a nose contouring tool; you can tell from the shape of his nostrils."
Fans also emphasized that rhinoplasty requires a certain recovery period, making it impossible for traces to completely disappear in just one day. They believe the controversy is likely a visual effect created by a combination of makeup, nose-shaping tools, and camera filters.
As of now, THE 8 has not responded to the plastic surgery rumors. All related claims are merely netizens' speculations based on event footage. Whether the perceived difference is due to makeup, camera angles, or an actual change remains to be seen, pending a response from the artist himself.
