Kim Jong-kook delivered his wedding thoughts directly through his YouTube channel "Jim Jong-kook," leaving a heartfelt message for fans. But on broadcasts, his marriage has been repeatedly used as major material, and the public fatigue Kim Jong-kook feared appears to be becoming a reality.
Earlier on the 11th, the "Jim Jong-kook" channel released a video titled "The day the tiger gets married...(Feat. Running Man, Dragon-Year Club, Jonathan, Kang Hoon, Ju Woo-jae, Seo Jang-hoon, Shori etc.)." Kim Jong-kook said, "At last the day has come when I can really use the title 'The day the tiger gets married,'" adding, "So many people congratulated and cheered for me that I resolved to work even harder and repay them." He continued, "Even though we pulled together everything possible and prepared in advance, we couldn't make this week's content. Instead, we decided to release the video we prepared for the wedding," asking for fans' understanding.
In the video, Kim Jong-kook alternated between his trademark seriousness and cheerfulness as he directly told Running Man member Yoo Jae-suk, his Dragon-Year Club friends, and acquaintances about his marriage. He said, "I apologize for not being able to share more with fans because we quietly prepared the ceremony for various reasons," and added, "I also apologize to those who felt fatigued by news related to me. I am sincerely grateful to those who supported this new start." Because the wedding was held quietly, he repeatedly emphasized his intention to respect his non-celebrity wife and her family.
Ironically, broadcasts have repeatedly treated Kim Jong-kook's marriage as major material. On the SBS Running Man episode aired on the 14th, members joked about Kim Jong-kook's marriage and revealed various behind-the-scenes stories, and SBS My Little Old Boy also gave substantial coverage to his newlywed life and explanations about rumors, drawing attention. Although Kim Jong-kook bowed his head on his personal channel and said, "I apologize for causing fatigue," broadcasts seem to be continuously consuming the marriage as an endless string of episodes.
On broadcasts, Kim Jong-kook mentioned plans for children, confessing, "I'm older so I plan to do it right away, thinking of just one," and he also made people laugh by emphasizing himself as "sperm king" and saying "male hormone 9.98." In the Running Man episode to air on the 21st, close friend Cha Tae-hyun will appear to share post-wedding anecdotes and even reveal a composite sketch of the bride, already creating a big buzz. Critics say the meaning of the "007-style secret wedding" Kim Jong-kook painstakingly preserved is becoming hollow.
Netizen reactions are mixed. Some said, "I was curious, and it was fun that they talked about it on the show," but many expressed concern, saying, "Kim Jong-kook held a secret wedding out of consideration for his family, but broadcasts keep turning it into episodes." The public "fatigue" Kim Jong-kook himself mentioned appears to be actually accumulating.
Kim Jong-kook's quietly started new beginning is being "turned into material" through broadcasts and deviating from its original intent, and attention is focused on how he will balance things going forward.
[Photo] OSEN DB, broadcast screen capture
[OSEN]