SEVENTEEN’s Dino has made a heartfelt confession about one of the most difficult periods of his career, revealing that he once seriously considered leaving the group after struggling with the immense pressure of being its youngest member.

The idol shared the emotional story during a recent appearance on Ahn So Hee’s YouTube channel, where he spoke candidly about growing up in the K-pop industry, the challenges of living with twelve other members, and how an honest conversation with his teammates ultimately changed everything.

Growing Up Away From Home

Looking back on his early trainee days, Dino recalled moving to Seoul when he was just 14 years old to pursue his dream of becoming an idol.

Since then, he has spent approximately 14 years living alongside the other members of SEVENTEEN, first as trainees and later as one of K-pop’s biggest groups.

While fans often admire the close bond shared by the thirteen members, Dino admitted that adjusting to such a large group was far from easy.

Each member had a different personality, communication style, and way of handling stressful situations. As the youngest member, Dino often found himself trying to understand everyone around him while suppressing many of his own emotions.

The Burden of Always Being the Youngest

Dino explained that one of the biggest struggles throughout his career was the expectation that he would always remain the hardworking, dependable youngest member of the team.

Over time, he felt increasing pressure to live up to that image.

Rather than openly expressing frustration or exhaustion, he chose to quietly shoulder the responsibility himself. Eventually, the emotional weight became too much to handle.

When he was around 20 years old, Dino reached what he described as his breaking point.

During that difficult period, he made a shocking decision.

“I Wanted to Leave the Group”

For the first time, Dino revealed that he had seriously told the older members that he wanted to leave SEVENTEEN.

The confession was not made impulsively or out of anger. Instead, it came after years of silently carrying emotional pressure while trying to meet the expectations placed upon him as the group’s youngest member.

Feeling overwhelmed, Dino gathered the older members together and honestly shared everything he had been struggling with, including his desire to walk away from the group.

It was one of the most vulnerable conversations of his career.

The Conversation That Changed Everything

Instead of leading to his departure, Dino said the conversation became a turning point for both himself and the rest of SEVENTEEN.

Opening up allowed the members to understand one another on a much deeper level than before.

Rather than keeping their feelings bottled up, they began having more honest discussions about their emotions, personal struggles, and the pressures that come with life as idols.

Those conversations ultimately strengthened the trust between the members and helped Dino feel that he no longer had to face everything alone.

Looking back now, he believes speaking honestly was one of the most important decisions he ever made.

Fans Became His Greatest Source of Comfort

During the interview, Dino also reflected on what has helped him continue moving forward.

He shared that interacting with CARATs, SEVENTEEN’s global fanbase, remains the time when he feels the most comfortable and genuinely himself.

Receiving encouragement from fans has become an important source of strength throughout his career, especially during moments when he questioned himself.

At the same time, Dino explained that he has become increasingly determined to discover his own identity—not only as SEVENTEEN’s youngest member, but also as an individual artist.

He expressed his desire to continue growing through both group promotions and solo activities, believing the two can complement each other rather than compete.

SEVENTEEN’s Future Remains Secure

Dino’s emotional confession arrives at a time when SEVENTEEN’s future as a group appears stronger than ever.

Earlier, PLEDIS Entertainment announced that all 13 members of SEVENTEEN have renewed their contracts, reaffirming their commitment to continue promoting together despite their expanding individual careers.

For many fans, Dino’s story serves as a reminder that even idols who appear confident on stage often carry invisible emotional burdens behind the scenes.

Although there was once a moment when he believed leaving SEVENTEEN was the only solution, the difficult conversation that followed ultimately brought the members closer together. Today, rather than walking away from the group, Dino says he is focused on continuing to grow alongside his teammates while also building his own artistic identity—proof that one of the darkest chapters of his career ultimately became one of its most meaningful turning points.