Singer Kim Jong-kook has drawn attention with a surprise marriage announcement, and as it became known that his mother had already left My Little Old Boy, attention is focusing on whether he will remain on the show.
On the 11th, Kim Jong-kook revealed on his YouTube channel that he personally informed acquaintances of his marriage. He said, "My mother already knew," and explained, "The reason I didn't do My Little Old Boy was actually because of the marriage." He added, "My wife did not want to be the focus of attention, so we quietly prepared the wedding with only close acquaintances," delivering an unexpected confession.
In the video released that day, Kim Jong-kook told My Little Old Boy member Seo Jang-hoon during a phone call that he was getting married, and Seo Jang-hoon could not hide his surprise, saying, "Didn't your mother suddenly drop out of the panel? She bought a house too, so I thought something was strange." He went on to tell long-time acquaintances one by one, including dragon-club members Hong Kyung-min, Cha Tae-hyun and Jang Hyuk, and lawyer Park Min-chul, and vowed, "I have lived as I pleased for 50 years, so I will live the rest of my life for my wife."
However, after Kim Jong-kook's marriage news, controversy arose over his participation in My Little Old Boy. My Little Old Boy has maintained a unique format of observing the daily lives of middle-aged single male celebrities from their mothers' perspectives. Especially since Lee Sang-min and Kim Joon-ho already remained on the program after their marriages, critics say that if Kim Jong-kook also stays, a debate over the program's identity will be unavoidable.
Regarding this, SBS My Little Old Boy producers recently told OSEN, "There are no changes to the cast. Nothing is under discussion," drawing a line and dismissing rumors that Kim Jong-kook would leave.
But viewer reaction is cold. In a poll conducted on the portal site Nate, of about 3,600 participants, a full 91% demanded that already-married cast members leave, saying, "A cast member who is already off the market goes against the program's purpose." By contrast, only 9% responded that staying was necessary to guarantee fun. This mirrors the controversy that arose after the marriages of Lee Sang-min and Kim Joon-ho.
Following Kim Jong-kook's mother's departure, attention is now turning to whether Kim Jong-kook himself will naturally leave My Little Old Boy. However, a recent broadcast preview revealed that he would "directly mention his wife's identity," suggesting his newlywed life could become a topic of interest again.
[Photo] OSEN DB, portal site. Broadcast capture
[OSEN]