While properly consolidating the loosened discipline in the parenting entertainment industry, Kim Jun-ho and the Woo brothers lead the Nth heyday of KBS2's "The Return of Superman". The public's interest and popularity towards the trio of father and sons are tremendous. Handsome dad Kim Jun-ho's sense of entertainment has risen, prince the firstborn Eun-woo has grown into a dignified older brother, and the cute second son Jung-woo has started to speak, truly 'hard carrying' the show. In particular, Jung-woo ranked within the top 10 for two consecutive weeks in the non-drama institutional sector of TV-OTT participant popularity last month, establishing himself as the youngest topic of interest. Previously, Eun-woo also rose to 3rd place in the 48th week of 2023's "entertainment participant popularity ranking".
"The Return of Superman" has been loved by the public for 13 years since its first broadcast in 2013. Recently, it received a presidential citation at the 14th "Population Day" ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, showcasing the grandeur of being "the nation's parenting entertainment". Olympic gold medalist fencer Kim Jun-ho made his first appearance in August 2022 with young Eun-woo, marking his fourth year now. At that time, Jung-woo had not yet been born, and he has now become the longest-serving family on "The Return of Superman."
Recently, OSEN met the nation's healing babies Eun-woo and Jung-woo at Kim Jun-ho's home. The next day, observation cameras were set up throughout the house for the filming of "The Return of Superman," and the Woo brothers, seemingly accustomed to the cameras like friends, were busy playing without a care.
Kim Jun-ho, whose face has slimmed down due to his busy schedule, said, "There was a time when I lost a lot of weight, and since then I have maintained it. I haven't gained weight. It's not intentional, but since my main work and broadcasting schedules are tough, I don't gain weight. Instead, I think my face appears better on screen because I've lost weight," he laughed.
Kim Jun-ho chose 'early retirement from national representation' to achieve personal goals and spend time with his family. He is currently active as the youngest coach on the Hwaseong City Hall fencing team, juggling various broadcasts, including the entertainment show "The Return of Superman," and parenting on weekends. At the "2024 Paris Olympics," he transformed into a fencing commentator, gaining attention with his 'AI robot commentary.'
He said, "I have no days off these days. I have to film or take care of the kids on weekends, and my main job occupies my weekdays. I hardly get a full day off lately," and added, "It's tough, but there were things I wanted to do since retiring as an athlete. But those tasks need to be done now. I have projects that I must undertake, or my wife will nag me about it. (laughs) It has to be done now," he stated. "As a coach, there are things I need to do at that age and stage for the future; I want to do certain things, so I am doing it even if it's tough. I am working hard on what I've planned."
"Was "The Return of Superman" your first entertainment challenge as an athlete?" he remarked. "It was the first broadcast I did, and since the kids were involved, it didn't feel too heavy. As I got into it, I became a bit more familiar with the camera. If it had been a similar environment to other broadcasts, it wouldn't have been easy. The pressure was definitely less," he shared, noting that, "The relationship with the writers and production staff was good. I am still working with the same people I first collaborated with."
When asked, "Do you realize the popularity of the trio?" he replied, "It used to be the same, but now everyone recognizes me as Eun-woo and Jung-woo's dad, not just as a fencer. Wherever I go, I get comments like that. Even when I meet people related to games, they talk about the kids," continuing, "Various invitations for programs come in, but I can't accept them all. Right now, I need to focus on preparing for the national sports festival in October, and I have to compete twice a month. My main job is the most important, and I also run a fencing academy. Doing just that makes the month fly by," he revealed about his busy daily life.
Last month on "The Return of Superman," Jung-woo's 'top 1% athletic genius assessment' drew significant attention. Kim Jun-ho and Jung-woo visited a professional growth center, where the youngest, Jung-woo, confirmed his 'top 1% genius athletic DNA.' The expert noted, "After viewing data from nearly 90,000 children over 13 years, I believe Jung-woo falls within the top 1%. Core strength, coordination, confidence, agility, explosiveness, height, weight, all indicators show he is just 1%."
Kim Jun-ho remarked, "Even if it's not fencing, friends around me advised me to make sure to try out other sports. If he is going to exercise, I think outdoor sports would be better than indoor sports." He added, "Currently, I believe golf would be good. Fencing seems too brief and tight for me," he assessed of his son.
When asked, "Isn't it a bit too soon to judge our Jung-woo, who is only 25 months old?" with a tone full of disappointment, he responded, "Tall kids grow taller earlier. The 1% genius, top 1%, all of that is meaningless. Jung-woo is somewhat different from Eun-woo at the same age. In my view, he is not quite positioned towards fencing, either," while decisively analyzing his son playing with a dinosaur toy.
Regarding the remark, "In order for my two sons to become athletes, their father's standards and acceptance criteria must be extremely high," Kim Jun-ho replied, "Of course. If they want to exercise, they can take a test, but I won't provide any special support," he added. (Interview continued in part 2)
[Photo] Provided by "The Return of Superman"
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