Their years of experience in acting...
(Do you know these kids?)
(Don't you recognize their faces?)
Look how cute they were.
(Yang Dong Geun, Roh Hee Ji, Heo Jung Min, Seo Shin Ae)
(Reminiscing their days as child actors)
(Behind the scenes stories of sets, where they cried often)
(Radio Star is about joys and sorrows today.)
I think they will leave here crying.
(Their passionate love towards alcohol.)
(He eats fermented fish and sea eels with alcohol.)
(Their passionate love stories)
(Welcome to the grown-ups' world.)
(They are not kids anymore.)
I hit a home run.
(Now we can only talk about grown-ups' stories.)
("Our Kids Have Changed" begins now.)
Gook Jin has changed.
I used to be known as someone light...
that girls can even lift up and take care of.
Now I look heavy enough...
- to take care of my girl. - Congratulations.
- He is hitting the ceiling. - That's true.
That's such a beautiful mindset about love.
- The way he thinks about love is... - Can you stop talking like that?
My looks have changed.
There was a moment that my looks reached the peak in Radio Star.
I put on weight and I'm too tanned after the holidays.
Please don't stop adoring me though.
I'm still trying to change.
I'll share my role as a backbiter with Gook Jin from now on.
I'm going to collect stories...
that you can hear from here and there.
You two aren't aware of those stories.
I will willingly share those stories with the two of you.
- My reputation has changed. - Okay.
You all assumed that I was innocent and all smiles, right?
After last week's episode, I earned the reputation of Capable Man.
- Thank you. - All right.
- I'm envious of Mr. Cha the most. - Right.
Exactly.
Our show isn't stagnant.
To make sure you never get bored of us,
we have been constantly evolving for 11 years.
Ever-advancing show. This is a high-end music program, Radio Star.
(Radio Star)
For today's episode, we have invited four different guests...
who had grown up after going through their heyday.
This special is called "Our Kids Have Changed."
He turned 40 years old this year.
- He had debuted... - He's 40 already?
- 32 years ago. - He was born in 1979.
He has mastered acting, singing, dancing, and rapping.
He was to be the next all-rounded entertainer after Hong Seo Beom.
However, his current interest is taking care of his children.
He has returned as a father of three.
- His name is Yang Dong Geun. - All right.
- He has three children already? - That's right.
She used to warn everyone from using the knife on their own.
- She was the Korea's Kid Chef. - Right.
- She suddenly retired at 14. - At the age of 14?
Or so we thought.
Out of the blue, she came back as a religious believer on "Jumong".
Her appearance surprised the viewers.
After that, she's been lying low. Then she announced her marriage.
Her appearance is always accompanied by a surprise.
- Roh Hee Ji. - Okay.
All right. He made his debut with "Sandglass".
He played Park Sang Won's role.
However, why do we only remember him from Moon Child?
He always plays the foolish younger brother.
Heo Jung Min.
Why did you say it so indifferently?
- Aren't you excited to work today? - No, no. That's not true.
We can't always follow the same pattern.
- Say it with affection. - I'll tone it down a bit.
But why are you only indifferent towards Jung Min?
Heo Jung Min.
- That sounds too dull. - I'm saying it with energy.
Your tone dropped.
We all hoped that she'd grow up without changing.
Just like we had hoped, she did. That's why people still say...
she looks young like an elementary school student.
She acted side by side with Park Shin Yang, Jang Hyuk,
- Kong Hyo Jin when she was young. - They were her peers?
- They aren't her peers exactly. - But now...
- Right. - Did you hear him?
- My goodness. - That was wrong.
- What's wrong with you? - Move on. Next.
- This sentence doesn't make sense. - They just worked together.
- Don't take it literally. - She was a child actress back then.
- Are you trying to copy him? - Anyway, I wonder...
- who her colleagues are now. - My goodness.
- Korean Brat, Seo Shin Ae. - Welcome.
(Yang Dong Geun, Roh Hee Ji, Heo Jung Min, and Seo Shin Ae)
- Hello. - Hey, Dong Geun.
Please introduce yourselves to the viewers.
King with an underbar, YDG
That's right, baby, this is King YDG.
Follow me, follow me
Copper, copper, Yang Dong Copper, bang, bang!
(Impressed)
Are you going to release a song soon?
Since I have a lot of children to take care of,
- I'll release a song later. - I see.
- The way he said was funny. - Because of your children?
- I have a question. Dong Hyun... - Okay.
played a song for me a long time ago.
He told me that he was going to work on it with Dong Geun.
I asked the title, and he said it was "Gree Gree Bang Bang".
I thought that the title was very fitting,
but the song was never released. Something must've gone wrong.
- We were going to release it, - Okay.
- our labels are working it out. - Right? I knew it.
We're aiming to release the song in 2018.
Doesn't it sound great? "Gree Gree Bang Bang".
- Sure. - Right.
Think however you want.
"Gree Gree Bang Bang".
All right, Hee Ji. Say hello to our viewers.
Hello, I used to be the Kid Chef Roh Hee Ji.
Everyone, you shouldn't be a picky eater.
"You shouldn't be a picky eater."
That was adorable.
- Sure. - Jung Min.
Hello.
I've been the rising star of the entertainment business for 22 years.
I'm Actor Heo Jung Min, dreaming of my first golden days.
- I hope you can support me. - Okay.
He's a great singer too. He sings well.
He reminds me of Choi Jae Woo when Jae Woo starred on our show.
- He's a bit different. - He is a bit similar to Jae Woo.
- He was... - I think he looks quite old now.
- He was born in 1982. He ought to. - 1982? I see. That's why.
Shin Ae, say hello to our viewers.
I took a year off from school, but I'm going back to see new faces.
- I'm Actress Seo Shin Ae. - All right.
- She's a junior in college. - Already?
- Gook Jin, we're getting old now. - I guess so.
Dong Geun, you said you've been busy with raising your kids these days.
I heard you have to watch them after the filming today.
That's right.
- You're filming two episodes today. - Yes, we are.
They asked if I preferred to film...
- in the morning or the evening. - They do ask you that.
- I pick them up in the evening. - You have kids.
Since I must pick them up, I said I wanted to film in the morning.
How old are they? How old are your kids?
They are 6 and 4-year-olds and a 10-month-old.
I see. They are 6 and 4.
- 6, 4, and 0.1. - He's a year old then.
- They are 6, 4, and 0.1. - "0.1"?
- "0.1"? - Tell us their gender.
- How many sons and daughters? - 6, 4, and 0.1.
- I have 2 sons and 1 daughter. - I see.
Seeing how things are going for you, Dong Geun,
I think you can have another baby.
I had always been...
willing to raise more kids if I was blessed with one.
- But then? - But my wife...
Right. It's her choice.
- She said she will stop. - She won't have anymore?
(Laughing)
- She said that. - But...
- When you're in love... - Right.
and love your children...
She might be blessed with another child though, right?
- I don't plan these things, - That's when you conceive them.
- but it's really tough on her. - I bet.
- So we'll pause for now. - I see.
- For now... - If they are 6 and 4,
I think you guys planned to have them.
As for the oldest,
- we planned to have him. - Right.
As for the second and third child,
- You didn't plan to. - we left it up to the universe...
as we wished for more kids.
- That's how it happened. - But now...
We're on pause.
- It's unpredictable. - That's very important to couples.
- You have a point. - I agree.
Women who easily get pregnant...
end up getting the procedure.
- That's true. - Seriously.
- If they aren't... - We...
- We have a high percentage. - Precisely.
We always hit home run whenever we bat, per se.
(High Mark Scorer)
Roh Hee Ji was beloved by the nation with the show "Kids Cook".
Wait, I should start addressing you like an adult, Ms. Roh.
You said you were dreaming when we invited you onto the show.
- I was taking a nap. - Okay.
I thought I answered the phone in my dream.
The thing is that I've been wanting to star on this show.
- I wanted to be on this show. - I see.
- What have you been up to lately? - I'm curious too.
I've been...
- enjoying my honeymoon phase. - Okay.
When did you get married?
- It was 1 year and 4 months ago. - 1 year and 4 months ago.
You canceled the ticket for the Olympics to be here today?
- Which match were you going to see? - I was supposed to...
- watch women's figure skating. - I see. Figure skating.
- It must've been hard to get it. - Yes, it was.
- The tickets were expensive too. - They must've been expensive.
I was going to go watch it since I had the tickets.
Aren't they about 700 or 800 dollars?
- They were about 700 dollars. - They are that expensive?
Whom did you give them to?
- I gave them to my parents. - That's nice.
At least her family went to see it. I'm glad for that.
But my hat isn't too much, right?
No, no. It looks fine.
You look great like a pro horse rider.
- I... - I thought it was dressage.
- You look like a horse rider. - I thought it was dressage.
- Like an athlete for the Olympics. - That's not what I meant.
I gained weight. Actually, I gained a lot of weight.
- The horse might be tired. - I wanted to make my face look...
- smaller with the hat. - Dressage... Tell you what.
Horseback riding...
You mean dressage?
Due to a certain individual,
people started to frown upon horseback riding.
You might help improve the reputation of the sport.
We didn't think about that.
- Why do you bring that up? - No, no.
Mention that on "Battle of Tongues".
This has nothing to do with that.
- I mean that. - That was so random.
- We weren't thinking about that. - I mean...
- Why did you bring that up? - No, no. Let me finish.
Please help improve the image of horseback riding.
(His point gets lost with his mannerism.)
This is about Roh Hee Ji.
The writers were surprised when they were researching about her.
- What is it? What? - They didn't have much to research.
(In the limited pool of records...)
- My gosh. - This is from the ancient days.
- Hey, this is... - Didn't we read vertically...
- a very long time ago? - Right.
I don't think it's been that long.
- I know, right? - It looks like it's from the '70s.
This is how it was back then. "A 7-Year-Old Becomes a TV Star".
Let me read the article. "Cooking is so much fun."
"After I put my nose near the boiling water,"
"I don't like frying food."
"I like chopping when I cook." This is what she said.
"She memorizes the scripts like a professional." It says so here.
For your information, Tae Hyun...
was reading from the paper we attached on the back.
Many people wonder how he can read from the back.
It's not that. He has the article attached on the back.
I would like to inform our viewers of this.
- I see. Behind the board. - I'd like to point this out.
- People like to know this? - Right.
- I'll inform the viewers about it. - Is that your responsibility?
(A viewer-friendly segment, "Gu Ra, the Source")
Thank you.
Jung Min.
According to our source,
I heard you are active only during the night.
But you're famous for being lethargic during the day.
That's true. Compared to others, I am not as energetic.
On top of that,
- I like drinking. - Right. He likes to drink.
- I lounge around during the day. - I see.
- At 9 or 10pm, I get up. - You wake up then.
I am wide awake then.
- At 9 or 10pm? - Yes.
- So by then... - His eyes are watery.
People with those eyes like to drink.
- His eyes are moistened. - Did you drink last night?
- No, I didn't drink last night. - I see.
- Do you like soju? - I always drink soju.
- Where do you live? - I live in Seongbuk-dong.
- I see. - Seongbuk-dong...
- It's near universities. - That's why.
- I see theater actors there. - That's right.
- Their plays end around 10pm. - Right.
That's when I start drinking.
Let me join you next time.
Sure. We should hang out.
I guess you like drinking too.
- I like drinking soju too. - I know a lot of great bars.
You like soju? I see.
I think I gained weight from drinking.
This time...
Writers usually call me during the day,
but the writer of this show called me at 9pm.
The writer wanted to hold an interview.
I get really sentimental around that time.
You get sentimental? You get the urge, don't you?
- I bet you want to drink then. - I have to drink.
I feel lonely and alone around that time.
The writer called me around that time.
- Seriously? - She asked me about my days.
It was one of those warm, fuzzy feelings I haven't felt for a while.
- He gets emotional. - How could you...
- feel that? - My heart fluttered. I was excited.
- I wondered when someone... - No one has asked you that before.
- No one showed me any interest. - I see.
I pleasantly talked to the writer for an hour and a half.
When she said she was going to hang up,
I stopped her.
(He wanted to prolong the attention.)
Even though you love drinking,
in the drama,
you showed your muscular body in "Go Back Couple".
To be honest, that was...
made of silicon.
- Really? - You put it on your body!
- Doesn't it show it's fake though? - That's amazing.
They made the silicon muscles...
- based on my body shape. - So it doesn't show.
- I didn't know that exists. - That's so cool.
Gook Jin, you should use it for your photoshoot too.
I actually look better than you think.
(His confidence is hitting the ceiling before the wedding.)
They took a cast of my body for five hours.
They used plaster while I was standing up.
My body absorbed water from the plaster as time went by.
- It pressured my chest. - Oh, I see.
It was difficult to breathe too.
- I even passed out. - Really?
It was a really hard process.
You are quite weak.
- You should be okay with that. - I agree with him.
(His body has no tolerance for anything.)
Dong Geun started acting sooner than Jung Min.
You said Dong Geun is like the best child actor in history.
But then you actually complimented this guy born in 1976.
It's Lee Min Woo.
Lee Min Woo actually started acting before you, Dong Geun.
- You are right. - That's true.
Among child actors,
Lee Min Woo and Yang Dong Geun are...
the two best in history.
- But they became very different. - That's true.
Min Woo became...
- He's a classic actor. - He's very traditional.
- He takes many roles as kings too. - That's true.
He is like a king.
- Even his voice is that of king's. - Dong Geun is a dethroned king.
- Dethroned? - Goodness.
His darkness.
- He doesn't look like a king now. - He is like King Youn San though.
- The rebel one. - Yes, the rebel one.
Min Woo always has been...
- mature even when he was young. - That's right.
He doesn't speak casually to younger people either.
"Have you eaten, sir?"
- He always speaks like that. - That's true.
When we started acting, child actors played a big part in the industry.
That's when there were many historical dramas on TV.
At the beginning of the dramas, there were always child actors.
That's true.
- The childhood of the main role. - That's true.
It was so competitive to get a role.
Especially it was pretty insane among the mothers.
We even called it Mother's Entertainment.
- Like Golf Daddies? - Yes, that's right.
Moms were always keeping an eye on each other.
Their competition, lobbying, and jealousy just never ended.
- That must have been insane. - It was really crazy.
So the idol singers these days can be compared to...
child actors back in the days.
When shooting a commercial with child actors in the past...
It's hard to control kids, you know.
There were always other kids waiting in the backroom.
- In case of changing the kid? - Yes, that's why.
So if the kid is too difficult to control,
the other kid, the number two, takes the role.
The number 2 and 3 were waiting looking at the kid.
- I didn't feel good about that. - I can see that.
If the first kid is doing her job well, the other kids have to home.
- I didn't know about that. - Yes, it's still like that.
It's similar to the waiting list.
Whenever shooting with kids, there are always moms...
at the other side of the room trying to draw their kids' attention.
- It's all moms' hard work. - That's true.
Is there any meeting for child actors?
Can they not join the meeting when they grow up?
I meant the meeting for people who start acting as child actors...
What do you mean? Everyone will grow old together.
He can't be a child actor forever. Everyone gets old anyway.
You are so weird to think that way.
Starting from Ahn Sung Ki,
I don't think there was any meeting like that.
There was a meeting for child actors once.
- But A-class actors didn't join. - A-class?
- It was all small-fry actors. - Small-fry!
- We drank and comforted each other. - I see.
(Small-fry actors help each other mentally.)
Seo Shin Ae, you have 15 years of experience.
I heard you filmed the first kiss scene of your life.
- It was from a musical. - I see.
Since we had a lot of performance,
I kissed him every day for two months.
If it was a musical show, you really had to do it every day.
That's right.
If it's every day...
How do you do it then?
(The groom-to-be's curiosity)
- Do you have to do it differently? - If it was from the musical show...
- It's a real kiss then. - Of course.
- I really had to kiss that person. - Right.
- Really? - No tongues though.
(In shock)
- Why are you so surprised? - No tongues back and forth.
- Every day. - Back and forth?
- Tongues back and forth! - Goodness.
- People use that expression. - It's not a big deal.
(Jong Shin's pun made everyone embarrassed.)
If you kiss one person every day...
(The groom-to-be is curious again.)
It's not even a serious kiss.
Why? Do you want to be in a musical show?
(Challenge?)
You are now watching...
a high-end music program, Radio Star...
with four cute child actors who are now grown-ups.
Let's begin "Our Kids Have Changed."
If we add the numbers of years of their experience, it's 97.
On average, it's 24 years.
Let's take a look how they looked like when they were child actors.
Yang Dong Geun is...
(Yang Dong Geun's days as a child actor)
- That's Dong Geun. - Yang Dong Geun.
(Young)
- It was very natural. - It's a method approach.
What drama was that?
It was "Guanchon Essay" celebrating the foundation of SBS.
"Guanchon Essay"!
That was when Dong Geun grew up a bit though, right?
I think I was in the 7th grade.
(Smiling)
(His smile is still the same even after long years.)
Look at his snaggletooth.
His name is on the top of the end credits.
"Seoul Hot Pot" in 1989 was very trending. It was my freshman year.
- That's right. - "So I did that."
That's when you got famous. And then there was "Brother".
- Am I right? - Yes. That was...
when I was 13 years old. I was in the elementary school.
Oh Ji Myeong and Joo Hyun were in that drama too.
- Yes, they were there. - Choi Soo Jong was in it too.
- I remember Kim Ae Kyung. - Choi Soo Jong...
That's right.
Now it's Roh Hee Ji's turn.
Isn't that Kang Ho Dong?
(Why is Kang Ho Dong here?)
(Hee Ji is next to Ho Dong.)
Ho Dong still looks very wild then.
I agree.
(Hee Ji is flawlessly hosting the show.)
He does look like a ssireum athlete.
That's when he just started his career as an entertainer.
That was the beginning of his new career.
(It's not a normal pork cutlet.)
Look at Hee Ji.
(The pork cutlet will wear a vegetable coat.)
I remember that.
(I will show you today's ingredients.)
That's from the early 90s, right?
- Yes, that's about 94 or 95. - 94 or 95...
Why didn't you wear a chef's hat today?
(Like this?)
- I remember that. - She didn't have a tooth.
That was the talk of the town.
That's your baby tooth, right?
- Gook Jin lost a tooth lately. - But...
It won't grow back again.
That tooth was gone because it did everything it had to do.
(Laughing hysterically)
- It chewed for more than 50 years. - It did a great job.
- It did so much work. - That's right.
- That was such a great tooth. - That's true.
You have no idea how great that tooth was!
Gook Jin, did you bury it well?
- It did such an amazing job. - I'm still keeping it.
- Really? - Oh, I see.
To honor the death of the tooth, that spot is empty.
That's right. I didn't want that tooth to feel sad...
if I put a new one in too soon.
Gook Jin, you'll lose every tooth at once if you keep that mindset.
You have to do it as soon as possible.
Let's take a look at Jung Min's child actor's days.
It's not that, sir.
- I can see it's him. - Isn't that from "Sandglass"?
Yes, it's "Sandglass".
When we were in our 20s...
It was today.
- I think it was in 1994. - It's 1995.
- I remember him too. - I do too.
Kim In Moon, who passed away, took the role of his dad.
- That's right. - That's him.
How did you buy your dad?
(The glitter of his eyes are impressive.)
Your role was the childhood of Park Sang Won's role.
He grew up and drank every day.
- He was smart when he was young. - That's true.
Seo Shin Ae's dramas were fairly new though.
She was born in 1998.
That's the milk commercial.
- It was in the mid-2000s. - That's right.
- She's adorable. - That baby grew up so much.
(She's adorable.)
She's so cute.
You are mommy's girl, right?
It's only been 14 years or something.
- Look at her. - So cute.
(Cute smile)
I remember her puppy-like hair.
I wish that commercial airs again.
Do you remember anything?
I do.
Like Jong Shin said,
there are several child actors waiting at the set.
- I was one of them, actually. - You were waiting.
- So you were the one waiting. - Yes.
- You were the waiting one. - Oh, right.
I told you. It's difficult to control kids.
I had to drink a huge amount of milk.
I drank, puked, and cried.
If you look at her face in the commercial,
you can really see how much she cried before filming it.
I mean, you tear up after puking.
(That's true.)
When you puke, you can see your face soaked with tears.
I bet the director was like, "That's what I want!"
(Okay, cut!)
By the way, Dong Geun said something.
"I've been following my life plan since I was nine."
Is that possible?
What did you even plan out when you were nine?
I was watching TV.
You know, "Three Families Under the Same Roof" was quite popular.
That's what everyone watched on Sundays in the morning with family.
Sun Dol was...
Is Sun Dol older than you?
He is younger than me.
- But he started acting before me. - That's right.
So I was watching the show.
And me, the little boy, suddenly said to my mom,
"Mom, I think I can do that really well too."
"Mom, I can do better than Lee Gun Joo."
- I'm curious what happened next. - Goodness.
"Mom, I can beat Lee Gun Joo."
I just told that to my mom then.
One day, I was just reading the newspaper at home.
And I saw an advert looking for a child actor.
- I see. - That's what we used to do.
- I told my mom that I had to do it. - But you were only nine.
Yes, I mean, I was younger than that.
- I was younger than that. - He was just a little kid.
"Mom, I have to do this."
"Mom, I have to beat Lee Gun Joo."
(Gu Ra's doing it again.)
"Mom, this is the chance!"
- "I have to do this!" - Of course, he had to.
What's so great about then is...
I mean, when you are raising a kid,
you don't always do what your kid wants.
I even told my kid not to do things.
But my mom actually took me to the audition.
- She's very different in that way. - It all started thanks to her.
Hee Ji,
how did you get your role on "Kids Cook"?
Both of my parents worked at MBC.
- Even your mother? - In which department?
She was a choreographer.
I read the script. Her father was...
- a cameraman at MBC, right? See? - Yes.
- That's why cameramen know you. - That's why.
He was a cameraman. Since he worked at MBC,
I came here to see him work with my mom one day.
That day, they were filming "Kiss Kiss".
When the kids were dancing, I guess I saw them dance...
and danced with them.
The director of "Kids Cook" saw me dance.
He wanted me to do an audition.
- That's how you got the role. - Yes.
24 years ago, Jung Min...
was the child actor for Park Sang Won's role in "Sandglass".
At that time, Sang Won was confused when he saw you, Jung Min.
You and Sang Won don't look alike.
At that time, my mom bought me a bicycle...
- and wanted me to ride to work. - Really?
So you went to work by yourself.
Then did you just take the bus when the location was in a rural area?
- I stayed on the bus for a week. - I bet.
Back then, the whole crew rented out the inn,
so I used to share the space with the crew.
How did we end up talking about this?
- Hey, look. - We were talking about Sang Won.
Are you drunk?
Don't do that. My goodness.
We haven't been talking for long though.
- Jung Min. - It's been only a minute.
What's wrong with him?
- No. - What's gotten into you?
It's been only a minute. What is this?
Sang Won said, "Are you the child actor for my role?"
- "I don't have double eyelids." - Exactly.
"What's up with that?" That's what he told me.
- I see. - That was the story.
- How did you get the role then? - Why is he like that?
I think Dong Geun and I are very similar.
- I also saw... - It was all the same back then.
the classified ad in the newspapers. I told my mom I wanted to do it.
She sent me to the acting school, but I was lucky.
After a month in the school,
- I auditioned for the role. - You got the role right away.
Director Kim Jong Hak held the audition back then.
He said, "Your eyes are gleaming."
- "You got the part." - Right.
He gave me the role like he was throwing it away.
"I bet that kid will become a heavy drinker."
Didn't Kim Jung Hyun star in the drama as a child actor too?
- Jung Hyun played... - He was an adolescent.
- Choi Min Soo in high school. - In high school.
- Hong Kyung In. - Right.
- He played Sang Won's role. - At that time...
- Among actors around their age, - Right.
- they were the most famous. - Kyung In.
- I also... - Kyung In and "Our Twisted Hero".
- Exactly. That was the time. - His character was the best.
- He was the best indeed. - He was very charismatic.
- The character Jeon Tae Il... - He was phenomenal in the film.
- He was the Little Giant. - Everyone knows how great he is.
But he never got to become a giant.
(He remained as a short actor.)
- I was offered that part actually. - Really?
- So... - You wanted to tell us that.
You look like Eom Seok Dae. You can pull it off.
- You can pass for Seok Dae. - Seok Dae must have a big build...
- compared to his peers. - You do look like the character.
- He had a big build. - He and I had a similar build.
- That weren't many young actors. - I was offered to play the role.
- I went to the readings too. - I think you would've done well.
For some reason,
- they switched me out. - They switched you out?
- I don't know why though. - Kyung In did a better job.
What other reason is there?
- Dong Geun is a father of three. - Right.
What will you do if your children want to be TV personalities?
I would neither encourage nor stop them.
If they tell me that, I think...
I will end up telling them my own experiences in this industry.
How did you feel when Dong Hyun wanted to be in this profession?
He didn't ask Dong Hyun's opinion. He made that decision himself.
No, no. That's not the point.
- You mean my son? That's right. - Yes, when he started.
When he told me that he wanted to be a rapper,
I asked, "Are you going to be the martyr among hip hop artists?"
And he said he would be.
- I said... - Why would you say that to him?
He brought it up first.
- He said he'll be the martyr. - Really?
- I doubt he knew the definition. - I agree.
- That's why he said yes. - At that time,
the press used that word a lot.
- Was he confused with "pioneer"? - So...
- "Pioneer"? - He probably didn't know it well.
- I bet. - He was making a metaphor.
He meant to say that he would devote his whole life for the cause.
That's why I told him that I approved of it.
That's really cool.
He was determined to become the martyr of hip hop artists.
- If he was that determined, - You ought to let him then.
- I would've approved too. - Right.
- If he wasn't as determined, - If he was just curious...
I would've given it more thought.
But if my son says he's determined to become the martyr of actors,
I would probably tell him to go for his dream then.
- I'd like to know your opinion too. - You're just like me.
- Recently... - About my kids?
First of all, compared to the past, the entertainment sector's...
- reputation has improved. - Okay.
I would be okay with it if that's what my children want to do.
- I try to be objective too. - Okay.
So far, I know without a doubt my oldest won't make it here.
- Are you serious? - Yes.
- No, you never know. - Given how things are now,
- he can't ever work in this field. - You think he won't be suitable.
No, he's a lost cause.
Objectively speaking, I think my daughters are...
- pretty enough to be actresses, - You think they are good enough.
but I don't think they are talented.
- I get this hunch about Soo Chan. - He's adorable too.
I get the feeling that he might end up in this profession.
- He might be on that side. - Or this side.
I don't think he'll end up on this side.
I think he's going to be on the other end of this table.
- He might be in the middle? - There are many other fields...
- in the entertainment business. - That's right.
- There are writers too. - Of course.
I get that hunch.
Jung Min, are auditions harder now than when you were a kid?
I caught a lucky break when I was a kid.
After I fulfilled my military duty,
I was going to start from the bottom without an agency.
I would go to auditions for films.
When I went to auditions,
the directors weren't at the auditions.
His assistants or younger directors...
- Right. They'd supervise auditions. - would hold the auditions.
They ask me to do all sorts of things.
I would do everything they would ask me, but I had a hard time...
because of this pride I had which was ridiculous.
"I used to be a child actor."
- "I have a lot of experience." - "I used to talk to directors..."
- "privately." - "The directors..."
"I used to work with people who became the head of the department."
It was hard for me because of this ego I had.
After the audition, they said,
"Thank you for coming in,"
"but your acting is very old-fashioned."
- They criticized you. - "That's not how it is now."
"You won't get a part if you act like that."
- "You should change career." - They said that?
When I heard their patronizing tone...
- You must go through it though. - He's right.
Those times were tough for me, and it hurt my pride a lot,
but I'm glad that I went through that.
- That's right. - I used to go to auditions too.
Those rude, young assistant directors...
don't usually become successful.
It's always been like that. Those successful directors...
- were different from the start. - Right.
- They treated me differently. - That's true.
A long time ago,
when I was new to this industry, I didn't get paid for a show.
- They used to give you a vouch. - I brought it up to the director.
"You're new to this. Why do you care about money so much?"
That director got arrested.
(Today's lesson is to live an honest life.)
Shin Ae, you had a unique audition when you were a kid?
The director gathered five kids in this room.
There were only four chairs.
- One of us couldn't sit. - Right.
The director wanted to see which one of us would give up the chair.
He didn't say anything. He just observed us.
- It was like an experiment. - People play that game for fun.
You know like musical chairs?
He wanted to see the innocence kids have.
I guess he wanted to see if we were considerate of others.
Did the one who gave up the seat got the part?
- Yes, I got the part. - That's how...
- Did you offer your seat? - I did.
I don't know why I did that,
but they were fighting. I didn't know why they'd fight over this.
I stood up and offered the seat.
This is so weird because...
kids who were as talented as them...
were probably good at acting,
- so they couldn't choose one. - That's true.
The director did that exercise to see their disposition.
- He wanted to see their sincerity. - That was his objective.
My example is the opposite of Shin Ae's.
This audition was for a drama about school life.
- About 200 actors came to audition. - Really?
They divided everyone into groups of 10 and put them in each room.
They asked us to fight while using the most violent profanity.
- So 10 of us made a circle. - That was common back then.
Everyone started to swear at each other.
- That's why... - We called each other names.
- This is funny. - We insulted each other's parents.
But I couldn't stand that.
- Insulting parents isn't proper. - Exactly.
At the end, people...
who survived the cursing match were put in a class all together.
Was there anyone we know in that class?
- Actors who survived... - That was one of the methods.
and starred in that drama were in "Once Upon a Time in High School"...
- and other similar films. - I see.
- They were scary-looking actors. - I see.
- Some people had to play the parts. - I understand.
If someone forced me to audition for that part,
- I would've left too. - A lot of actors gave up the part.
- That's understandable. - Tae Hyun probably couldn't do it.
- I can't do that. - Me neither.
- These days... - I bet Gu Ra would've won the part.
- He would've. - He's a master at cursing.
(I'm sick of this frame.)
- Jung Min. - Yes?
You filmed a lot of commercials when you were a child actor.
- But... - Is that so?
It's just that we don't remember any.
- Tell us the commercials you did. - He wasn't the lead.
I belonged to the C-list child actors.
It was hard for me to get the part for films or auditions.
- That was my status back then. - Then who was on the A-list?
- Who was popular back then? - Dong Geun was.
- He was three years older. - Gun Joo was popular too.
- Jung Tae Woo, Kim Min Joung, - That's right.
- and Jung Jun. - Jung Jun. He was popular too.
- They were on the A-list. - I remember him.
- He was born in 1979 too. - Since I...
- wasn't one of them... - I have a question.
Then who belonged to the B-list?
- Who were on the B-list? - Why...
- You were on the C-list. - Why did you skip a class?
Actors on the B and C-list were fairly the same.
- We argue who's better and such. - "I belong to the B-list."
He didn't have to audition for his roles,
but I had to audition for roles and compete with other actors.
I guess my mom realized something.
She must've thought I wouldn't make it in TV or film industry.
I was lucky that she directed me towards commercials.
I was in commercials for ramyeon and snacks.
With whom were you in the ramyeon commercial?
With Park Chul Soon,
- I did a commercial for Nongshim. - Nongshim.
- Ramyeon for Nongshim. - I see.
With the late Kim Ja Ok,
I did a commercial for jjapaghetti.
You must have eaten a lot of noodles.
I did 10 commercials a year.
With the money I earned, I bought my mom a new car.
My mom had talent in making investments.
Your mom had talent in making investments.
She made investments successfully.
That's important.
Were you in any commercials recently?
I couldn't do any commercials after I grew up.
(Sad)
(Laughing)
Hee Ji,
what was the hardest about being in "Kids Cook"?
The program is called "Kids Cook".
I had to cook...
and enjoy the dish I made.
Since I was a picky eater as a child.
I hated beans and green onions.
You had to make dishes that didn't suit your taste.
One time, the dish of the day was stone pot rice.
- Nutritious stone pot rice. - It contains red beans.
- I had to enjoy it, - It has a lot of beans.
but I couldn't chew what's in my mouth.
"It's tasty." I said it with a grimace.
I cried a lot.
Jung Min, I thought you had a successful career...
as a child actor.
However, you often talk about your struggles.
What was your biggest struggle?
I...
I don't know why I keep telling tear-jerking stories.
It looks like you are struggling now.
- Seriously. - As a child actor,
he had his heyday with a successful career.
I don't know why he says he had so many struggles.
- Things worked out. - I know.
Things worked out.
I think he drinks because his life is hard now.
- I started at a young age. - That's right.
Like Dong Geun,
I entered the adult world at a young age.
A lot of shoots took place in the countryside.
I roomed with the adults.
The staff members...
smoked cigarettes,
- played cards, and drank. - It was like that back then.
I was exposed to that as a child.
Back in the days, people smoked in buses.
- Everyone smoked. - Even the bus driver did.
Also,
there were many things I wanted to eat at that age,
but I had to order gukbap...
like the adults.
"Jung Min, have some seonji."
"Eat up."
Being with the adults,
he couldn't live like a child.
Those aspects...
make you accept the adults' way of life early on.
It twists you.
Macaulay Culkin had the same problem.
Becoming a big star at an early age...
- can ruin you. - Not only that,
they can also have...
no sense of money.
- They can be naive. - Do you know...
what I mean?
- I have never been that way. - Really?
I guess that's only the case with my son, Dong Hyun.
(My goodness.)
Jung Min,
do you have trauma of being in a period drama?
Do you have any good memories?
Jung Min,
why do you act?
If you have so many bad memories, find another job.
Do you have any good memories? Was everything a struggle?
Why do you torture yourself?
- Find another job, - Do you have any good memories?
I am not good at anything else.
I was in a lot of period dramas.
I was one of the princes.
There was an older boy who played another prince.
I saw an adult...
beat him up on the set because he made a few mistakes.
- It's a story of the past. - It was like that back then.
It was like that back then.
- Jung Min saw all kinds of things. - It was like that back then.
- Jung Min saw all kinds of things. - I saw him...
get beaten up right next to me.
It was scarier...
than getting a beating.
That's when I developed...
trauma of adults...
and period dramas.
You saw shocking things at a tender age.
- That's right. - I was a sensitive child.
I am sure it wasn't a severe beating.
You probably remember it that way...
- because you were scared. - I understand Jung Min.
Because we got beaten up at school,
we wouldn't have thought much of it.
However, Jung Min's generation didn't get beaten up at school.
That's not true. It was so common...
that it felt weird when a day went without a beating.
(It felt weird when a day went without a beating.)
- Really? - Yes.
When I couldn't cry on cue...
An adult went, "Come here for a second."
- Did you get pinched? - When I went...
(He received a smack.)
"Film."
My goodness.
(Tears of gratitude flowed from his eyes.)
This happened often.
It must have been hard.
Didn't you ever want to quit?
I really didn't want to act.
- Really? - I really didn't want to act.
However, I also hated going to school.
Acting was the only alternative you had.
It was the only legal way...
to avoid going to school.
- I went to shoot by myself. - That's right.
At home, I went, "I am going to school."
At school, I went,
"I have to go to the shoot after the second period."
Then I roamed around.
- I bet other children were jealous. - They were very jealous.
Back in the days,
teachers didn't ask for proof.
- That's right. - "You will see me on TV."
"Why don't I see you on TV?" "My part got edited out."
(My part got edited out.)
It's easy.
"Please console me. My part got edited out."
It was like that back in the days.
These are stories of the past.
I acted because it was fun.
Let's end this on a heartwarming note.
You are trying too hard.
It doesn't sound like it was fun.
(He failed to candy-coat it.)
We won't listen to tear-jerking stories...
after Dong Geun.
This is getting too depressing.
I am sure it was hard because they couldn't play around.
- The stories of struggles end here. - That's right.
I don't think Dong Geun had any struggles.
You learned how to cry on cue the hard way.
I was in a lot of works...
in which the sorrows of the Korean War...
were expressed through a child's tears.
- You cried on TV often. - Yes.
I had to cry in a scene they were filming,
but I was excited.
Being a child, it was hard for me...
- to suddenly get into the emotion. - Of course it was.
No matter how hard I tried,
I couldn't cry. The director went,
"Cry! Cry!"
He thought yelling at me will make me cry.
However, I couldn't cry.
I don't know who the director was, but...
"Cry! Cry!"
(His acting instruction was quite simple.)
Did you have an acting coach?
The directors taught me at the set.
They told you how to deliver the line.
"Angle your face this way."
"Take a breath and look into that direction."
Since I wasn't skilled enough to convey my emotions,
they directed me so that I would look a certain way.
They used techniques.
You understood why you did what you did later.
I understood when I monitored my work.
"I see what they did."
I followed the instructions like a robot.
- On the screen, - They taught you techniques.
I looked like I was in sorrow.
That's how I learned.
Dong Geun, when you were a child actor,
you ran into a trouble...
when you used public transportation by yourself.
I had to take a taxi because the bus had stopped running.
Back then, it was common for the passengers to share a taxi.
I felt uncomfortable.
I think the driver acted that way because I was a child.
It wasn't a long ride to my home,
but he continued to take more passengers.
He wanted to take a detour.
It was like a bus.
- People got in and out. - A small bus.
Didn't people recognize you?
I developed a social phobia as a child...
because people who recognized me...
held my hand and didn't let go.
I now understand why they did it.
To a child, it was frustrating. "What should I do?"
So that people wouldn't recognize me,
I always pushed a hat down to my face.
That's how you go into hip hop.
That's when I began...
- to wear my hat down. - That's how it started.
I get it now.
They drag you away.
Shin Ae must have experienced it.
I followed my mom to shop for groceries.
Middle-aged women went, "How cute!" Then they took me away.
I wanted to find my mom,
but she didn't know what was happening to me.
Middle-aged women surrounded me.
My mom looked for me later.
(Hold on.)
Anyway...
Dong Geun tells his story with determination.
Even when we stray, he continues on with his story.
- "Anyway..." - Seriously.
Even as a child,
I felt the need to protect myself.
I kept nunchaku...
and a toy gun...
in my backpack.
In case something happened, I wanted to protect myself.
- I traveled by myself. - He took a taxi as a child.
- He grew up by himself. - Seriously.
- He is wild. - Seriously.
- So... - Wait a second.
Dong Geun might say something.
When we try to move on, he continues on with his story.
We should wait a second.
He talks a lot faster now.
Is it because you raise children?
- He became a dad. - He talks a lot faster now.
I wasn't like this before.
He talks a lot faster now.
Having arguments with my wife improved my speech.
- I had to talk to her. - That's right.
Back in the days, the reporters chose me...
as the most difficult celebrity to interview...
- for many years. - That's right.
What's worse is that...
I didn't see the need to have a conversation.
- Really? - It's because...
I started working at an early age.
I only had to say what's on the script...
and go home afterwards.
I didn't have conversations at home.
That's why I didn't develop skills for everyday conversations.
When I had an interview,
I had to think for a long time before replying, "Yes."
You talk a lot faster now.
His speech developed.
My speech developed late in life.
You are growing up with your children.
We are on the same page.
You need to learn a lot to have arguments with your wife.
Otherwise, you continue to lose when it comes to logic.
You need to learn.
(He nods in strong agreement.)
Let's now talk about the hopeful and bright future.
This is like a special on struggles.
Many more stories on struggles are coming up.
Let's take some of them out.
Let's talk about something fun...
like receiving a celebrity's autograph.
I received Chow Yun Fat's autograph.
- Chow Yun Fat! - For a soft drink commercial,
Chow Yun Fat had come to Korea.
- That's right. - There are good memories...
- if you think hard enough. - Yes, there are.
I ran into him at the broadcasting station.
He gave me an autograph in Korean.
Chow Yun Fat did that.
It's a good memory.
(He finally dug up a good memory.)
Shin Ae, you filmed a drinking scene when you were a minor.
I imagined the taste of soju...
for that scene.
People told me that my reaction was spot-on...
and wondered if I really drank soju for the scene.
- I drank water. - You drank water.
What was the taste you imagined?
Since it smells like industrial-grade alcohol,
I imagined the facial expression I would make upon drinking it.
It will be hard to act when you haven't tasted it.
You drink now.
- Yes. - You can drink now.
Which alcoholic beverage is your favorite?
I can't drink beer or soju.
- What do you drink? - Wine?
- Whiskey? - Yes.
- Whiskey? - You like whiskey.
- Whiskey? - That's unusual.
I didn't want to see that kind of reaction.
How much can you drink?
I can drink three shots of tequila.
Tequila is strong.
She likes strong drinks.
I don't talk when I drink.
I only focus on drinking.
Do you drink three shots in succession?
You would leave the bar after 15 minutes.
Bar owners love customers like her for the higher table turnover rate.
They love customers like her.
We are talking about child actors and alcohol.
(We are talking about child actors and alcohol.)
Seriously.
I am not like her.
I like soju and beer.
- Soju. - I like street vendors.
You like street vendors.
I like street vendors.
I eat hagfish with soju.
I mix soju and beer.
(She must have mixed them often.)
What is this?
Jung Min, what's your favorite?
I like soju.
I like drinking alone at home.
There is a sense of melancholy about him.
What do you eat with soju?
I eat salted seafood.
Then you won't gain weight.
Seasoned vegetables.
- Seasoned vegetables. - You eat kimchi with soju.
When I get drunk, I talk to myself as I watch TV.
You become absorbed in what you are watching.
When I watch a documentary...
about a wealthy man who lives frugally, I do this.
"Gosh, he earned a lot of money."
"He should spend some on himself."
I talk to myself.
I mutter to myself.
You feel like you have alcohol-related dementia.
There is a bar in Hannam-dong...
that sells fish cake.
I was drinking sake by myself.
There was an officer worker right next to me.
We exchanged a few words.
We got along splendidly.
We decided to treat each other...
as brothers.
"Please give me your phone number."
"Let's exchange numbers."
When I tried to save his number,
I realized that I already have his number.
You met him before.
The two of us had met at the same bar...
and drunk sake.
- Is this "Memento"? - He is the same.
- That's right. - He is the same.
- The two of them are the same. - "What is this?"
Seriously.
What happened afterwards?
We were so spooked that we didn't say anything else.
(Why do we know each other?)
I am amazed by the owner of the bar.
He didn't say, "You have met before."
- "Let's see how this plays out." - He was having fun.
"They are doing it again."
(They will be too embarrassed to return to the bar.)
Hee Ji, when you drink,
your parents don't answer your call.
You must have a drunk habit.
She must become annoying.
Imagine her parents doing this at 11pm.
"It's Hee Ji."
(Hanging up)
They don't answer my call.
You show a drunk habit via phone.
Via phone!
You show a drunk habit via phone.
When I am drunk, I always go,
"Come on out, Dad. Have a drink with me."
- I would have a drink with Dad. - "Come on out, Dad."
We used to drink together.
Come on out, Dad, come on in, Dad. Come on out, Mom, come on in, Mom.
(Is he playing a game?)
Come on out, Uncle.
Don't come on out, Dad. Come on out, Mom.
Don't come on out, Mom. Come on out, Dad.
Come on out, Dad. Come on out, Uncle.
(I can't believe him.)
Come on out, Uncle.
He is persistent these days.
He doesn't know when to stop.
- Come on out, Dad. - For goodness' sake.
Come on in, Mom.
(He must be happy before the wedding.)
Jung Min, do you raise your voice at the directors these days?
I am surprised.
It's not like that.
I am at the age to be respected on the set.
However, I am not...
on the level to intervene in any way.
- No, you are not. - I only complain.
Do you communicate by complaining?
You complained earlier too. "It's too cold here."
"It's too cold here."
- It's more like babbling. - I see.
Being in the industry for many years taught me that...
adapting to the environment helps me last longer.
That's why I always listen...
to the director.
I bet child actors have had an experience...
of seeing an assistant producer...
become a successful producer.
That's why I lobbied assistant producers.
I didn't drink...
with producers because I knew...
- they wouldn't be on the set later. - That's right.
- You had that thought. - He looked ahead.
I drank a lot with assistant producers.
They will become producers.
When they became producers, they helped me.
When I think about it,
I make a living with a steady job...
because I lobbied the assistant producers.
My goodness.
I think it helped me.
How much do you interfere?
I don't interfere.
I think I did something similar once.
I knew it.
I was in a drama, "Go Back Couple".
When I start a drama,
I wish for a love story.
I have never done it.
I want to go on dates behind the staff members' backs.
You want to date an actress.
- "Maybe it will happen this time." - You want real-life romance.
When this airs, actresses will feel uncomfortable.
You want real-life romance.
I harbor a tiny bit of hope when I start a drama.
It's natural to dream about romance.
Even though I appeared in many dramas...
- over the years, - It's natural for an actor.
I have never had that experience.
Is your partner Han Bo Reum in "Go Back Couple"?
When I heard that Bo Reum was cast,
I voiced my thoughts.
Bo Reum and I are good friends.
We swear at each other like siblings.
Bo Reum will find out about this when this episode airs.
I asked the producer to reconsider.
I see.
You wanted someone you don't know.
Did you do that to date an actress?
(It's a weak reason.)
It's not a blind date.
I thought you had a problem with her acting skills.
I wanted someone I can be lovey-dovey with.
You wanted someone who can make your heart flutter.
That's right. We had a lot of kiss scenes.
For a kiss scene,
I wanted to be like, "My goodness, this is embarrassing?"
That's what I wanted.
With Bo Reum, it was like, "Put your lips here."
- It was rather dry. - It was a kiss for money.
You might have had a good chemistry because she is a close friend.
I think it's true to some extent,
but I had hopes.
- I bet Bo Reum did too. - That's right.
She was on "King of Mask Singers". She is talented and nice.
(Bo Reum showed off her talent on "King of Mask Singers".)
- Her talent is like the full moon. - She is incredible.
(I want to fall in love.)
Dong Geun only had stories of his struggles...
before he found a good memory during a phone interview.
I really enjoyed...
not going to school every day.
How were your grades?
I had terrible grades.
I was busy with shoots during elementary school.
- You didn't study. - However,
I came around in middle school.
I decided to study.
I decided to change.
I am living on the knowledge...
I acquired in middle school.
You didn't study in high school.
- No, I didn't. - You neglected your studies.
I felt as though I had reached my limit.
Jung Min, you got bad grades, right?
(He is taken aback.)
I... I tried to study.
Ever since I was little, I had a dream...
from watching a drama like "Our Paradise".
"I will enjoy the romance of the college."
- You wanted to enter a college. - Yes.
Jang Dong Gun and Kim Chan Woo were the idols of my generation.
Jang Dong Gun and Kim Chan Woo.
They were the idols of my generation.
I entered a college thanks to my extracurricular activities.
I realized my dream.
- You graduated. - I wrote my thesis and graduated.
- You majored in theater and film. - That's impressive.
Hee Ji, when you were asked to give the upside of being a child actress,
you said that celebrities recognized you.
In middle school, I was a fan of g.o.d.
I went to the shoot for "Show! Music Core".
When I saw the members of g.o.d,
I said, "Hello, I am a big fan."
They recognized me.
Yoon Kye Sang and Son Ho Young said,
"I saw you when you were young. Your face didn't change at all."
"It's good to see you again."
When we took a picture, they put their arms around my shoulders.
- I was so happy. - It's an upside.
I really like Kang Ha Neul.
It's his birthday today. Let's wish him a happy birthday.
(Congratulations on Kang Ha Neul's birthday.)
Congratulations!
You have a devoted fan.
You want to congratulate him.
Shin Ae,
send him a video message.
It's embarrassing.
I want to write a letter,
but I don't know the address.
I congratulate you from the bottom of my heart.
Please call me when you have a vacation.
Have you worked with him?
No, I haven't.
One time, I was at an award ceremony...
when I heard that he came.
I was so nervous.
I was so happy that we were breathing the same air.
His dad runs a kalguksu restaurant in Gimpo.
I was going to go, but I had a shoot.
I am having a shoot right now.
I heard his dad was going to give cards to the fans today.
- But I can't go there. - You can go there tomorrow.
I've never seen any celebrity who is such a big fan of another celebrity.
Ha Neul hasn't enlisted in the military yet, right?
- He has. - He's serving in the military.
- What are you talking about? - She said...
She talked about it just now.
- that she couldn't write a letter. - I can't believe him.
- I see. - Considering Ha Neul's personality,
if he watches this show, he'll go to see her...
on his military leave.
- Right. - I was...
a big fan of Dong Geun.
Dong Geun has a lot of male fans.
To be honest, I never met him when I was working as a child actor.
We would never get cast in the same drama.
- Because he was an A-list actor? - Yes,
and I wasn't famous as a child actor.
- I performed at "Dream Concert". - He was there too?
We both performed at the concert.
Singers always have a wrap-up party after their concert ends.
- We book a buffet catering, right? - They have a party.
Shin Joong Hyun was...
holding a glass. He was about to give a toast.
Right then, someone with an afro hairstyle...
with an afro comb in his hair...
passed through us on a kick scooter.
When I saw that, I said, "He's so cool."
- "He has swag." - "That's my idol."
"He doesn't care the fact that Shin Joong Hyun is here."
"He's a real free spirit just like Sean Penn."
- Sean Penn? - What was that?
- There was another thing I liked. - Why did you compare them?
I also saw him...
I think he was filming his movie, "Fighter in the Wind".
He was getting himself into the emotion before shooting.
He saw a cameraman from an entertainment news show.
"Hey." He made a hand gesture to ask him to put the camera away.
I found him so cool just like Sean Penn once again.
- Why Sean Penn? - It seems to me...
You're trying to bring him down, aren't you?
- I think you are. - It was a compliment.
You didn't say any good thing about him.
I don't think he meant it in a bad way. I like Sean Penn too.
- He's a great actor. - If I had been born in the US,
I think I would've lived my life just as he does.
His free spirit looked so fabulous to me.
- Are you still freewheeling now? - No. I'm living in Korea.
I see.
(She showed her maturity to shrug off her image as a child actor.)
(Jung Min confesses his love for Yeh Ji Won.)
(He says he'll overcome the 9-year age gap.)
(Did she get the college acceptance because she played in "Jumong"?)
(Dong Geun admits he has Artist Syndrome.)
(Stay tuned to find out the truth.)
You are watching a high-end music program, Radio Star...
with the four stars who used to be popular child actors...
and grew into successful stars.
In fact, Jung Min is more famous as a member of Moon Child,
but you didn't like being in the band.
I didn't join the band because I wanted to.
Has any good thing happened in your life?
Is he also traumatized from being a member of Moon Child?
I was working as a child actor,
but when I was in 9th or 10th grade,
I was in between.
I was too old to play a child, but too young to play an adult.
The owner of my agency said he was planning to form a boy band.
He told me to be in the band just for two years...
- and then quit if it doesn't work. - That sounds good.
- It's a good suggestion. - But I was so young back then.
I wanted to continue pursuing my acting career.
My mom tried hard to convince me to give it a try.
Moon Child was quite successful.
- Wasn't Moon Child an A-lister? - Gosh, no.
- Wasn't it? - We weren't that successful.
- He's too modest. - Moon Child was successful.
- You performed at "Dream Concert". - We were a little popular,
but it was our agency owner who was an A-lister.
- We weren't that successful. - Moon Child was popular.
Anyway, I joined the band,
and we were ranked the top because of the fame of our agency.
- I see. - Before I joined the band,
I thought my life would change if my band is ranked the top.
I thought there would be a great deal of money in my bank account.
I expected my life to change completely,
but I was still penniless.
I wonder what could make you feel happy.
- Your band was ranked the top. - At that time...
- It's understandable. - At that time,
singers didn't get paid fairly.
If I had received anything else instead of money,
- I would've felt accomplished. - Your mom must've received money.
No, it wasn't like that.
- I see. - If you'd held out a little longer,
- you could've gotten paid well. - That's right.
The other members earned a lot after moving to another agency.
It seems to me that you lack perseverance.
I was very disappointed...
because the other members moved to another agency,
- but I stuck with my agency. - I see.
That's why.
He didn't have the courage to leave the agency.
The owner promised to help me become successful.
However, he got involved in a bad incident.
That's true.
- Right. - You're so honest.
Hee Ji, who was popular with "Kids Cook",
suddenly decided to take a break...
because she was shocked at her middle school entrance ceremony.
Whenever I stood out in any way, kids spoke ill of me behind my back.
- I bet they did. - I also heard...
some kids speaking ill of me behind my back.
I started to lose confidence.
When I started middle school, I didn't want to be on TV anymore.
So I enrolled in middle school.
On the entrance ceremony day, senior students gathered...
to see me looking out the window. They said, "Is that her?"
"She doesn't look like a celebrity."
"She's not pretty. She looks just ordinary."
Kids say things like that loudly so you can hear them.
- Kids said it while passing me by. - They could've speak quietly.
- "Is that her?" - They also glared at me.
- It hurt my feelings very much. - It's hard for a teenager.
- That's right. So... - I was once eating at a restaurant.
Someone behind me said,
"Yoon Jong Shin? Ask him for an autograph. Don't be shy."
- Exactly. People do that. - He said it so loudly.
Maybe his friend had hearing problems.
"Go ask him for an autograph!" It's possible.
- Try to think differently. - You're right.
- You're right. - That'll make you feel better.
- He must have had no choice. - Some people have hearing problems.
They have no choice in that case.
- I'm sure you were hurt as a teen. - But you can...
- Yes. Teens are sensitive. - Is that why you took a break?
- Not to hear criticisms. - Yes. Because I hated to hear it,
I stopped appearing on all the shows I was on.
But they always come back eventually.
- That's right. - They can't help it.
- They come back in the end. - They can't help it.
When I saw actresses at my age on TV,
I thought I should be on that show instead of staying at home.
So when you were 19, you started to rebuild your acting career...
through the drama, "Jumong".
Do you remember that your return caused a controversy?
- Yes. - It caused a big controversy.
(As Hee Ji returned after a long break,)
(there was a controversy about her casting and college acceptance.)
- There was a lot of rumors like... - You benefited from your dad?
Yes. Since my dad is a cinematographer...
But he wasn't in the crew of "Jumong".
- My dad was part of the crew. - Was he?
- I see why people think that way. - It's understandable.
- So people said... - They said that my dad...
helped me get the part and get my college acceptance.
People criticized me for that.
It was only half-true. It wasn't entirely fair.
First of all, it's true that...
my dad helped me get the part.
Because he's in the field,
I had more chances to go for auditions...
and to meet the director more often.
That's an advantage that naturally comes along.
- That's right. - She could get more auditions.
Right. She's his daughter.
However, I didn't get my college acceptance because of "Jumong".
- I got... - Of course.
I got the acceptance letter while I was filming the drama.
The several facts and the prejudice against you caused a controversy.
- They were mixed up. - It was reported...
around the time when the drama ended.
That's why people think that way.
"So she played in that drama to enroll in college."
Shin Ae, when you were playing in "High Kick through the Roof",
you must have seen how the kids at your school reacted.
How were their reactions?
I fully understand how she feels.
Whenever she went to school...
At first, I liked how everyone at school...
recognized me.
However, the senior students, the kids in my grade,
and even strangers on the street...
seemed to judge me. They said, "That's her?"
- "She's the one in that drama." - That's right.
Right? It made me feel like...
they were belittling me.
- I had a lot of negative thoughts. - That's understandable.
I went through a really dark time in my adolescence.
I was gloomier and more depressed than other kids.
It took me as long as five years...
to get through the hard time.
Among the child actors,
the ones who played a unique character...
just like Shin Ae or myself...
- suffer more growing pain. - That's right.
Whenever I go for an audition,
the directors don't focus on my acting performance.
The first thing I hear is,
"She only got bigger. She looks the same."
"I watched your show. You're the Kid Chef."
"Are you still good at cooking?" They're more interested in my past.
It's better if you don't have any public image.
- Jung Min, you're not like them. - Right.
Yes, and I'm relieved that I wasn't that famous.
No wonder why he didn't say anything.
- There's one thing that's good. - He kept on...
- complaining about everything. - There's something positive.
As I walked in, I asked the producer who Jung Min was.
It's a good thing.
No one knows that I was a child actor.
It's a good thing.
There's nothing memorable about me.
- That's a good thing. - When I was a kid, I was jealous...
of popular child stars.
I wondered why I wasn't as popular as they were.
However, these days, while working as an actor,
I came to realize that I'm lucky I wasn't popular as a child actor.
Why are you doing this?
- I think... - His hands are shaking.
he does this when he tries to appeal to our empathy.
- That makes sense. - I see.
Shin Ae, were his hands shaking?
Yes, his hands were shaking like this.
It makes me wonder if he's feeling unwell.
It's good that you have a unique personality.
When he came on my talk show,
- he was very nervous. - I easily get nervous.
However, he never holds back even when he's nervous.
- He says everything he has to say. - Right.
I think he'll get a part that suits his personality...
after this episode airs.
Actually, I saw him in many different dramas,
and I believe he has a good face...
to play in a trendy drama.
- Please watch him. - Thank you.
Thank you.
(Why all of a sudden?)
- He finished the talk. - That was smooth.
- You did a good job. - Please watch him.
(That was good enough.)
Dong Geun, many celebrities have Artist Syndrome...
once in a while just like going through puberty.
Since you're a hip hop artist, I bet you have an experience.
You're right. I have experienced...
- all the things they said. - You've experienced it all.
I didn't go to school or made friends with others.
However, I achieved a successful career.
- That's right. - Right.
I had already accomplished all of my goals in my 20s.
I filmed an action movie as I wanted.
l also released a song album as I wanted.
So I had no more goal in my life.
Since I hadn't even had a chance to build a positive character...
- That's why you rode kick scooters. - Yes.
That's probably why...
I had a lot of negative thoughts.
The military life saved me.
I came to my senses while serving in the military.
- You lived with strangers... - That's right.
- in the same place. - Living the same daily life.
Before then, I didn't have to speak when I didn't want to,
but in the military, I had to...
- report on everything. - That's right.
That's when I started to practice to talk to other people.
You can learn the basic skills for a talk show in the military.
(It's a new approach.)
There's nothing to do during the free time.
So they chat with each other.
- They exaggerate their stories. - That's the basic of speaking.
There are just the two of them when pulling guard duty.
It helps to improve your speaking while exaggerating stories.
(The military saved me.)
Jung Min, you played the lead actor's little brother many times,
but then, you went through a really hard time.
- Again? - Really?
- You went through a hard time. - His life has been so tough.
The show is about to end.
Shouldn't he be on a human documentary show?
I hope he'll tell us at least one good memory before the show ends.
I'm sure I played the lead actress' little brother...
in the most dramas.
(He was looked down on all the time.)
(He was a troublemaker to his elder sister.)
As I was reaching my late 20s,
I was too old to play the lead actress' little brother.
He was too young to play Park Jung Soo's little brother.
(He mentioned her suddenly.)
Or Kim Hae Sook's little brother.
Or Lee Hye Sook's little brother.
- Right. - Why not? It's possible.
Besides,
I wasn't a famous actor either.
So I didn't get a chance to play any adult roles.
I didn't get any part for a long time.
So I decided to enlist in the military.
When I was discharged from the military,
my agency had gotten closed.
That's when I went into a slump.
I didn't get any work for about five years.
And then... As I told you before,
I won over the assistant director.
- That's how you got a chance. - I thought it was the last resort.
I went to see every assistant director I knew.
One of them became a director,
and he cast me for the lead role in his first drama.
- What was the title? - It was a short form drama.
It was KBS' drama, "Ji Hoon's Born in 1982".
He gave me the part,
but I didn't know I was the lead actor.
He said he sent me the script via email, so I should check it.
I said I would.
He said my character's name was Ji Hoon.
I checked the script...
and found out the title was "Ji Hoon's Born in 1982".
The director said his character's name was Ji Hoon.
I read it again, but there was only one person named Ji Hoon.
I had goose bumps all over my body.
However, life isn't easy.
The higher-ups were furious.
- "Who on earth is he?" - "Who is he?"
- "He can't be the lead actor." - Of course.
I was the only lead role.
I appear in every single scene in the drama.
The higher-ups were against the director's decision.
However, the director...
- can be very stubborn. - He insisted on casting you?
The drama aired eventually,
- and it got good reviews. - I see.
So I was able to continue my acting career.
There are many actors who got a lot of opportunities...
- after playing in a short drama. - It's a great opportunity.
What is the director doing now?
He directed "Oh Hae Young Again" in which I appeared.
- I see. - He left KBS?
I've been working with him ever since the short drama.
I played in "Marriage, Not Dating",
- "Oh Hae Young Again", and... - He's like your life saver.
That's right.
There's a rumor that I'm his son.
That's funny.
This is the first happy story he's told us today.
(Laughing)
(There's a silver lining in his depressing past.)
Shin Ae...
kept trying to shrug off her image as a child actor,
but gave up in the end.
You can just leave them be.
I think you looked great.
- Right. - It's not like that.
People around me suggested...
I should try makeup, hairstyle,
and clothes that would make me more mature.
I wanted to give it a try as well.
I styled myself that way for a while,
but I felt like I was wearing clothes that don't fit me.
Could this be the one that didn't fit you?
You were wearing too much makeup.
- Her makeup was too heavy. - I think she looks good.
You didn't give up on this style...
- after this event, did you? - I'm telling you the truth.
I didn't wear that dress to look more mature.
I chose that dress because...
My stylist and my mom were there when I chose it.
So were my manager and the staffer from my agency.
All of them said I looked pretty in that dress.
- I also liked the dress. - It was for a pubic event.
- Also, - Actresses wear bold dresses.
I turned 20 at that time,
- so I thought it would be okay. - Of course.
I have a question.
The dress is cut in the middle like this.
- How does... - In fact,
it was cut lower than that,
but my stylist sew it up a little.
- It was bolder than this. - Yes.
Gosh, no.
It shouldn't be lower than this.
I wanted to do what I could do at that time.
I may have looked like a child,
but it could've been an opportunity for me...
- to get more various roles. - That's right.
- That's why I chose that dress. - I understand.
- If you rush things, you fail. - You're right.
Just let things sort themselves out.
She also looks a bit like Jodie Foster.
Jodie Foster is an intelligent actress.
She directs her own films as well.
Let's move on.
- That's why... - Did you brag about your knowledge?
- I like writing. - She look like Jodie Foster?
- They look a little alike. - Jodie Foster.
- I like writing so much. - Jodie Foster.
I like writing poems and song lyrics.
(Impressed)
- I prepared something. - Good.
- She's very sensitive. - Poet Seo Shin Ae.
What genre of poem would you like to hear?
- The genre of poem? - We'd like...
- a funny genre. - "A funny genre"?
- I don't think she has one. - Why does it mean?
(Laughing)
The title is "I Wanted to Become Like a Cat".
"I wanted to become like a cat."
"A cat that knows how to land safely from a high place,"
"how to make its own space,"
"and how to keep things modest."
"No one could find the place where I hid myself."
"I wasn't very far from the people around me."
"I was able to watch them closely."
"I could also organize my thoughts."
"I became like a cat."
"I became like a cat as I wanted so badly."
(She expressed her emotion in a calm manner.)
I wish you had imitate a cat at the end.
Meow.
Writing a poem is a good way to organize your thoughts.
But Jung Min drank instead.
(Jung Min is taken aback.)
He was so depressed.
He can't remember the people he met.
He even has their phone numbers.
(Dizzy)
Jung Min said that if he could go back 20 years,
he would date the women he dated 20 years ago again.
- What's that? - 20 years ago?
- He dated more than one women. - It's...
- It's not like that. - Was there only one woman?
The drama, "Go Back Couple", is...
- about a couple who go back time. - That's why you were asked that.
I was asked what I would do...
if I could go back 20 years.
I said I would meet my ex-girlfriend again...
and find out what I did wrong.
He holds a grudge for so long.
I would ask her why we had to break up,
so I can fix my problems if I have any.
But if it won't work in any way, I would give up.
You're just like the guy in my song, "Like it".
(You're so clingy.)
(Are you happy to be in love?)
Won't I look like a loser?
(It's too late to say that.)
It's okay. You've been clear about your personality.
(Petty, pitiful, traumatized)
Just as Jung Min said before,
he wants to fall in love with the actress he co-stars with...
- in real life. - He wants to fall in love.
- That's true. - Uhm Hyeon Gyeong.
- He hit on her? - No, I didn't.
- Hur Young Ji of Kara. - I didn't hit on them.
- And Yeh Ji Won. - She's much older than him.
- She's much older than him. - There were news articles.
It is said that he called Hyeon Gyeong after having a drink...
and asked Young Ji to marry him saying he saved a lot of money.
I can't believe you.
- It was reported by the media. - He asked her to marry him.
Hyeon Gyeong is the only female friend I call comfortably.
She likes drinking.
I drank with her often.
I think you two will make a cute couple,
but there's no possibility of you two dating, right?
- There's no possibility. - Do both of you think so?
- Yes, we do. - You're not each other's type?
What about Young Ji?
As for Young Ji, I...
I like her. She's very sweet.
According to our informant,
you seem to really like Young Ji.
Your stylist told us.
That's not true.
What's your ideal type?
I like a woman who has a job with insurance benefits.
- What's that? - A stable job?
- Because mine isn't stable, - It's understandable.
I hope my wife has a stable job.
If Young Ji asked you out, would you refuse it?
(Hesitating)
- Did you see his lips trembling? - Yes.
(Trembling)
When he was asked about Hyeon Gyeong,
- he didn't hesitate to answer. - I mean,
there's nothing wrong with Young Ji.
If I say I would never date her,
what would that make her?
Then why did you say you would never date Hyeon Gyeong?
(His bulwark is slowly falling down.)
Well, it's...
- Something's going on between them. - Right.
Nothing is going on between me and Young Ji.
I've been terrorized by Young Ji's fans before.
So I would...
Make it look like I like Hyeon Gyeong instead.
Please don't set me up with an idol singer.
What would that make Hyeon Gyeong? He wouldn't worry about her fans.
Hyeon Gyeong doesn't have many fans.
(Jung Min, I won't let it slide.)
What about Ji Won?
Ji Won is the closest to my ideal type.
(She's the closest to his ideal type.)
She has a strong sense of responsibility.
- She never relies on others... - She hates being a nuisance.
She hates being a nuisance.
It looks like...
he wants a woman who can be his protective shield.
- My dream is to become... - That's what he wants basically.
- a full-time househusband. - I see. That makes sense.
- He thinks of marriage as a job. - A househusband.
Don't you think he and Ji Won would look great together?
However, she drinks too much.
- They're a perfect match. - You like drinking too.
You have to put up with that.
I once drank with her in her neighborhood.
She didn't seem to stop drinking.
I thought we both might die.
- "We both might die." - Didn't you exchange phone numbers?
(Ji Won, Jung Min)
He doesn't remember that.
Hee Ji, you fell in love so deeply...
that you did something you would never do.
- With your husband? - Yes.
I met my husband in the Philippines for the first time.
On a trip.
We fell in love with each other.
Just one week after I came back to Korea,
I bought a flight ticket and went back to the Philippines.
He was living in the Philippines, right?
He was running a business in the Philippines back then.
You really fall in love with him.
- Yes, I fell in love with him. - You missed him.
I planned to stay there only for four days.
But it was so much fun there.
You stayed there longer than you planned.
- Yes. - How many more days were you there?
- I really enjoyed my stay. - That's funny.
What happened?
I stayed there for three months.
(It's much longer than four days.)
- Her parents must've been angry. - That's too long.
"Why aren't you coming back?"
What made you fall in love with him?
There was a resort in a rural area,
and my husband was working there.
- I stayed in the resort. - It could've been a boring trip.
Yes. I went there with my friend.
The room was not good at all.
- You complained. - Your husband was working there.
That's right. He was the director at that time.
I said the room is uncomfortable,
and we couldn't fall asleep in there.
He spent his money to book a hotel room...
for me and my friend.
- He was interested in her. - He was interested in her.
He showed us around like a tour guide.
He gave us a tour.
Did you two fall in love right then?
- Yes, we had a spark. - Right.
She probably couldn't stop thinking about him when she came back.
- She must've missed him. - However, more interestingly,
- it wasn't our first encounter. - What does that mean?
- You didn't know that before then? - That's right.
- Before I went on the trip... - Was she drunk like Jung Min?
Did she forget about it?
Did you first meet him at a bar at Gangnam?
- No. - At a fish cake bar.
At a fish cake bar.
About two years before that trip,
I went to the Philippines with my family.
He fell in love with me when he saw me swimming like a frog.
(Swimming like a frog?)
He said it was impressive.
He saw you swimming breaststroke?
He said he remembered that for the two years.
That's so funny.
He fell for her when he saw her swimming breaststroke.
- So... - You must be good at swimming.
- She must've looked pretty. - You swam really skillfully, right?
A skillful swimmer looks pretty when swimming breaststroke.
I guess she looked cute to him.
(Happy)
You are watching a high-end music program, Radio Star.
Today's theme is for those who want to change themselves.
"The Song That Changes Me".
All right. Shall we hear the song that Jung Min chose?
(Smiling)
It's Moon Child's song.
He said he had a hard time at that time.
He loves and hates the memory at the same time.
"Summer Couple" by Moon Child.
Why did you choose this song?
(You said you hated the memory.)
The song is really traumatic to me,
and it's what comes to people's minds when they think of me.
I sing "I Love You" all the time.
- I sang the song so many times. - People always ask me to sing it.
Now, I'm pursuing a different career,
so singing the song means that I'm leaving Moon Child.
Will this be the last time?
I'm leaving the music industry.
We didn't even know. You shouldn't have chosen this song.
- You'll be asked to sing it often. - Exactly.
However, I have...
I have always wanted to sing this song on a TV show...
once again.
So this is the performance that I've been wishing for...
- and my last performance. - It'll be your last performance.
- Let's hear "Summer Couple". - All right.
I'm so nervous.
I'm sure you'll be asked to sing this song at work get-togethers.
("Summer Couple" sung by Heo Jung Min)
(He reacts instantly.)
(Excited)
(Cheerful and bubbly)
He's doing his best since this is his last performance.
This is his last performance. Gosh. He's doing his best.
(The best dance steps he can)
(I only have a blurry memory of that time.)
(My past is painful,)
(but my future will be bright.)
(It's fun.)
(Once again, after a long time)
(He runs out of energy quickly.)
(He dances less enthusiastically.)
(Cheer up!)
(He's excited about drinking after finishing recording the show.)
(He regained energy with that thought.)
(I hope all the traces of Moon Child...)
(will be gone tomorrow.)
Thank you.
- Thank you. - We really enjoyed it.
- He sings so well. - He's good.
The part that goes, "It'll be gone tomorrow" is memorable.
It represents my feelings.
I really hope it all be gone.
(I hope all my bad memories will be gone.)
Today's theme was "Our Kids Have Changed".
What would you say to yourselves who started your careers...
and went through a hard time earlier than other people?
As for my acting career,
I hope I'll be as successful as Tae Hyun.
His movie attracted 10 million viewers.
Exactly. As for my singing career,
I hope I'll be as successful as Jong Shin.
As an entertainer,
I hope I'll be as successful as Gu Ra.
And as a person,
- I want to become like Gook Jin. - That's the best compliment.
I want to become...
a person, actor, singer, and entertainer like them.
That's great.
He complimented us.
Hee Ji.
I will try to improve my acting skills...
by practicing a lot. I'll do my best.
Also, please follow my social media pages.
All right.
- Jung Min. - How about you...
say something to your old self?
That's a good idea.
Jung Min.
You have...
You went through many hard times...
at such a young age.
Thank you for growing up well without causing any trouble.
I have no doubt...
that love will come to you like an accident one day.
Isn't that a great comment?
Cheer up! Let's be kind!
All right. Shin Ae.
You've been doing well. I'm sure you'll do well in the future.
Do your best. You can do it.
Great.
She's very thoughtful.
People always say, "Grow up just as you are."
But you would've been in trouble if you had grown up as you were.
You're even more fabulous because you've changed.
Thank you for growing up so well.
We, the hosts of Radio Star,
will also try to show you our new sides.
We will say goodbye here. See you next week.
- Please. - Please.