SBS Kkokkomu spotlights the stories of those who risked their lives battling South Korea's worst wildfire, the "Gyeongbuk wildfire."
Today (9th) the program Tails of Tales (directed by An Yuntae. Lee Keunbyeol, hereinafter "Kkokkomu") airs the episode '2025 red monster,' featuring survivors who lived through the blaze describing the horrific disaster and fighting the fire that threatened their lives moment by moment as they saved people. Skeleton national team member Yun Seongbin, actor Kim Yumi, and The Boyz's Younghoon appear as listeners.
On March 2025 South Korea experienced the worst large-scale wildfire in its history. The massive wildfire known as the "Gyeongbuk wildfire," which spread across North Gyeongsang areas including Uiseong, Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang and Yeongdeok, engulfed forests and villages amounting to 1.6 times the area of Seoul, causing countless people to lose their homes and families.
On Kkokkomu, those who risked their lives fighting the wildfire testify about a scene that felt like being in the middle of hell. A fisherman who witnessed firsthand the village that became an instant sea of fire, pillars of flames rising, fireballs flying and choking smoke so dense that it was impossible to see ahead, vividly testifies, "It seems right to call it hell." After watching footage of the scene, Jang Seongkyu says, "So this is what they mean by a hellfire," expressing fear at the gigantic blaze that swallowed everything.
Meanwhile, the testimonies of wildfire patrolmen and firefighters who risked their lives to suppress the fire bring listeners to tears. The radio transmission from the head of the Gyeongbuk 119 special response unit saying, "Steady your mind, and call each of your families," conveys the solemn, urgent situation in which they were prepared to face death. The patrolman's story also evokes a heavy feeling. A wildfire patrolman who had come from Yeongdeok to Uiseong to fight the fire could not eat and spent the whole day fighting the flames in Uiseong, during which time the fire spread to Yeongdeok where his family lived. When it was reported that the patrolman, who was hurrying back to Yeongdeok to save his family, went out of contact, the studio was filled with concern.
Upon hearing the story, Kim Yumi, who is also the wife of actor Jung Woo, says, "I would have run to the house where my family was," and breaks down in tears. The Boyz's Younghoon says, "I think I would live with a desire to cry my whole life," expressing his devastation. Yun Seongbin says, "I cannot even imagine it," and is overcome by the bereaved families' grief.
The horrific scenes of South Korea's worst wildfire, the "Gyeongbuk wildfire," and the stories of our heroes—the fisherman, the wildfire patrolmen, firefighters and the coast guard—who risked their lives to protect people even amid a blaze that could have swallowed everyone, can be seen on the Kkokkomu main broadcast. It airs every Thursday at 10:20 p.m. on SBS.
[Photo] SBS
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