Hot hosts hit the town
By Suwitcha Chaiyong
Photos courtesy of T-Group Holding (Thailand)
Did you know
Running Man won the most outstanding programme award at last year’s SBS Entertainment Awards.
The Korean variety show Running Man has been popular throughout Asia since it first aired in 2010. The award-winning show attracts viewers with hilarious gags and exciting competitions that usually require both physical strength and intelligence. The charming hosts are another reason why viewers love the show.
On September 27 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, five hosts from the show — comedian Jee Seok Jin, 48, singer Kim Jong Kook, 38, rapper Haha, 35, actor Lee Kwang Soo, 29 and 33-year-old actress Song Ji Hyo — visited the City of Angels for their Yayoi Presents Race Start Season 2 in Thailand fan meeting.
FUN AND GAMES
The funny hosts played a relay game with their fans, as well as a fun game of shooting football penalties. After the games, selected fans were able to take pictures with their favourite hosts.
Since Jong Kook and Haha are professional singers, their performances were as great as expected. However, Kwang Soo stole the show by playing piano for the beautiful ballad, “I Miss You.” Before getting into the song, Kwang Soo made everybody crack up with various funny poses at the piano. The fans were even more amused when Kwang Soo dressed up in drag to dance and lip-sync with Seok Jin during the sexy song, “Trouble Maker.”
On September 26, the Running Man hosts met up with the local press and some lucky fans at The Aetas Hotel. The press conference was full of laughs, and MC Q had fun teasing the hot hosts. Jong Kook, who is famous for his strength, shook hands with MC Q when he made jokes, and the MC acted as if he was in pain from the strength of the handshake.
Here are some of the highlights of the press conference.
Question: How do you feel about holding your fan meeting in Bangkok?
Jong Kook: Having a fan meeting means a lot to us because it means that we’ve earned a lot of love from our viewers. We’re happy when our fans welcome us nicely, and we feel delighted to meet fans in many different countries.
Question: Ha Ha, how is your young son going?
Ha Ha: He can run now, but I don’t want to talk much about him because if I start, I’ll talk all day about how great he is! Let’s talk about Seok Jin’s kid instead.
Seok Jin: My son is very special. He was able to drive when he was only one year old! [Laughs.]
Question: Which competition on the show do you like the most?
Ji Hyo: I like the competition where we have to chase people.
Seok Jin: Ji Hyo is very strong. She’s even stronger than me!
Question: Which celebrity would you particularly like to invite to the show?
Ha Ha: We’d like to have Tony Jaa, the star of the action movie Ong Bak: Muay Thai Warrior.
Question: Kwang Soo, wouldn’t you want to invite a female guest?
Kwang Soo: I’m shy, so I wouldn’t dare to invite a female guest.
Ha Ha: He prefers to meet girls secretly.
Ji Hyo: That’s true!
Question: Jong Kook, is there much difference between having your own fan meeting and having a meeting with a group?
Jong Kook: It was a bit lonely when I was in Thailand for my own meeting. I don’t feel lonely this time. I’m grateful to have an opportunity to meet my fans again.
Question: Kwang Soo, how do you feel about being called the Asia Prince?
Kwang Soo: I have no idea where this title came from, but I’m happy to have it.
The senior hosts advise me a lot about how to behave. I’m the youngest person on the show, so I act sweetly toward the others. That’s probably why people call me the Asia Prince.
Ha Ha: That answer doesn’t sound like the real you.
Kwang Soo: Of course, the title of Asia Prince is perfect for me because I’m good at singing and dancing, and I’m also cute and sexy. Everybody likes me! [Laughs.]
Question: Ji Hyo, is acting in TV dramas much different from being a host on Running Man?
Ha Ha: I can answer this. When Ji Hyo was in TV dramas, she was a beautiful woman how had lots of kissing scenes. But there are no kissing scenes in Running Man!
Ji Hyo: In a drama, I have to act like the character I’m playing. In Running Man, I can just be myself. I have fun with the other hosts, and viewers can see my more masculine side.
Vocabulary
- relay (n): a race between teams in which each member of the ream runs or swims one part of the race
penalty (n): in football, a chance to kick the ball into the goal without any defending players except the goalkeeper
crack somebody up (phrasal v): to make somebody laugh a lot
drag (n): clothes that are usually worn by the opposite sex
sweetly (adv): in a pleasant way
masculine (adj): having qualities considered typical of men
Idiom
steal the show: to attract more attention and praise than other people in a particular situation
