Instagram Kim Jong Kook Instagram Update

[moonz]

[ajewcy]

He's cut back a lot on the hashtags.

[CutiieAngiie]

For real, I am so jealous of Running Man. Yeah, they had a lot of ups and downs with the show but they seem to have such a blast together that I just want to be a guest for oneday even though I hate running lol.

 

Gah, I just love this show so much  

[Teru]

shit I didn't know he had insta... lemme go follow... also I didn't realise his English is so good? I knew he spoke some but not to this level of fluency, damn, nice one Kookie

 

For real, I am so jealous of Running Man. Yeah, they had a lot of ups and downs with the show but they seem to have such a blast together that I just want to be a guest for oneday even though I hate running lol.

 

Gah, I just love this show so much  

 

100% mte

[Ume.]

Such dedication  I'm also happy about the vibe that the RM cast is giving. They really seem like a family to me 

[Jihyo's Heart Shaker]

For real, I am so jealous of Running Man. Yeah, they had a lot of ups and downs with the show but they seem to have such a blast together that I just want to be a guest for oneday even though I hate running lol.

 

Gah, I just love this show so much  

 

What kind of ups and downs did they have? I never really kept up with all the behind the scenes stuff (their ups and downs).

 

On a happier note, KJK working hard as always. They all look so happy being together.

[CutiieAngiie]

What kind of ups and downs did they have? I never really kept up with all the behind the scenes stuff (their ups and downs).

 

On a happier note, KJK working hard as always. They all look so happy being together.

 

You are going to be bored with the very first lines lol because it is a loooong post. I warn you though that I am not Korean or whatseover so everything I am saying isn't 100% accurate but just a plain observation.

 

Lots of downs for the ratings in particular :

- before middle 2011, Running Man did poorly in ratings. Not as bad as shows like Family Outing Season 2 or Barefoot Friends or Roommate but it wasn't as good as it was expected to be especially because it was Yoo Jae Suk's comeback variety show on SBS. Whatever, it wasn't obvious but the show was struggling. Props/concepts/formats/landmarks and guests. Celebrities didn't want to come because it was really exhausting and their hardwork would go to a waste because of the show's low ratings. So yeap', you would have "regular" guests like Nickhun or Yonghwa or Tony or Kim Kwang Kyu. People that Running Man is really thankful for because they sticked with them even when others didn't want to.

- Song Joong Ki's departure. I am going to sound bitter on this one and I am probably am a little bit but this is why I can never imagine nor accept people wishing SJK to return because he was and still is the 8th member. WHATEVER, I think he left on bad terms with some of the crew and cast members because in episode 41, their reactions were a bit MEH lol. I don't know how to explain it but for example, they went so easily from "Joong Ki is leaving" to "Our Kwang Soo is crying". Maybe they did for the laughs/entertainement value/didn't want to crush the show's mood even at the end of the episode but as a fan, it felt awkward.

And I was right because when he returned as a guest in episode 66, the members didn't really seem to care. It wasn't the "OH MY GOD, OUR JOONG KI RETURNED" but like "Oh, you". Jihyo and Kwang Soo really seemed like the only ones "glad to see him" and I am not saying it because they were in the same team and so shared more screentime and bonding moment together but really, I felt that the PDs put them together because it would have been a disaster, hella awkward with other members. He was never a guest after that despite appearing in episode 71 for a mission's announcement or in episode 97 when he was invited for the Asian Dream Cup by Park Ji Sung but separatedly of Running Man. The members' reaction was worse though. They were completely indifferent and I do know that Kwang Soo is BFF with him and that Jong Kook is still close to him but overall, I really think that his departure felt like a betrayal to the other members. I am harsh with words but there is really nothing else to explain why the members are just so indifferent to him. I can understand him leaving RM especially if he felt that he needed to focus on his acting career more especially because RM wasn't a huge hit but still, when you think that the other members sticked together, it was upsetting.

- drop in ratings. Lots of people say that Running Man experienced low ratings again in 2013 but not at all. Yeah, the ratings decreased because of new shows like Real Men or 1N2D's Season 3 but the show still managed to hit more than double digit ratings and sometimes, even beat its timeslot's rivals so yeah', it wasn't bad at all.

However, after Sewol Ferry tragedy, the show was really hit hard. I guess the audience prefered to stick to "family like" variety shows but the ratings' drop got bad with lots of episode in 2014 going into single digit ratings. It didn't help that shows like Barefoot Friends and Roommate were included in the Good Sunday's segment because instead of helping Running Man to get viewers, it sinked the whole segment down. The members have never talked about it but Cha Tae Hyun, one of Kim Jong Kook's BFFs and cast member of 1N2D, mentionned that he was having a hard time because Running Man didn't do well.

- Gary's almost departure. Because of some issues with Leessang Company's charity concert, he felt that he needed to leave to "reflect". It would have been such a huge lost to Running Man because compared to Song Joong Ki, we were at episode 113 and the cast has spent more than 2 years together so yeah', the lost would have been terrible not just for Monday Couple but for the whole cast's chemistry.

- the reveal that Jihyo was dating her CEO put an end to the Monday Couple. For a time though. It was a little bit awkward for the two of them and Jihyo was kind of having a decrease in screentime but overall, I think the show managed it well especially because MC has been stronger than ever now and even feeding shippers with lots of good stuffs recently XD.

 

(and now the good stuffs) Ups :

- it is no wonder that I am including the show's golden time. From mid-2011, the show kept increasing in ratings making it one of the most popular variety shows around. Lots of celebrities came to guests. Some were really famous like Park Ji Sung, Han Hyo Joo, Go Soo, Moon Geun Young ... etc. People that RM would have never believed possible to invite.

- it is at that time that the show discovered that Running Man was really popular overseas. It began with episode 50 in Thailand with the heartwarming and huge crowd at the airport and city. I think this episode was really a stepping stone, not just for the cast and crew but audience too. It was crazier in episode 72 in Hong Kong and again in Macau and Vietnam for episode 133, 134 and 136 and again again for Indonesia in episode 200 but yeah', the show became SBS's flagship program. It was sold to a lot of Asian countries and the Chinese remake is a huge hit as well. From what I read, SBS is getting a lot of money from them because they hold the copyright for Running Man so yeah', even if the show decreased in ratings, they still got a lot of money for concept/props ... etc. The fanmeets in Asian countries is a way to thank fans and promote the show too. Like KPOP idols or Hallyu actors.

- Lots and lots of awards and recognition. It is no wonder that SBS favors a lot Running Man and its cast members in year end ceremonies. Yoo Jae Suk got Daesang twice in a row, other members got Excellence Awards, the program won Outstanding Program a few times if I remember. Whatever, the show has been part of SBS Entertainment Awards since 2010 making its 5th year. It is a huuuuge feast. Even if it is true that XMAN or FO season 1 had better ratings, overall, Running Man beats them all because of its longevity, national and overseas popularity and cast's chemistry (yeah, I am being biased here XD).

- what is more to say ? Members are benefiting a lot from Running Man. Yoo Jae Suk was already the Nation's MC but being the main host/"captain" of the most popular Korean variety show overseas added a lot more to his "worth". Gary got a lot of spotlight, making his duo group, Leessang, one of the top artists. Haha doesn't get the same treatment than Gary as an artist but he is still getting a lot. The same for Kim Jong Kook who is a very well-known name among celebrities and guests. He did well with his comeback as a singer so yeah', you can tell he got recognition as a singer and variety star. The members joke a lot about how RM is the only program for Big Nose Hyung but yeah', lasting that long and having such an amount of overseas fans must make him really happy, Jihyo got to be main female lead in a lot of dramas and movies so yeah', Running Man was a blessing to her and finally, Kwang Soo. Out of all the members, he is getting the peak of his career. I remember how he felt embarassed when people didn't recognize or just stepped on him but now, he is considered as one of Running Man's Two Top with Yoo Jae Suk. He has a huuuuge following overseas as well but even more than others especially in Vietnam, he is getting a lot of love in dramas/movies even though he hasn't still been a main lead character, lots of love in friends too because I swear, every actor guesting in RM says that he/she is close to Kwang Soo. So yeah', overall, it is a fantastic time for him and there is no denying that without the show, Kwang Soo would have just be considered as a funny guy that you notice sometimes.

 

 

Overall and sorry for the long post of blablering (lol), the show experienced a lot of good and bad stuffs but because I am a positive person overall, I just consider them as a blessing because it really helped the cast members to be united as a team and to make their chemistry so much better. For real, I can't get enough of their interactions and although the show had a slump, nowadays, they are getting better and better and I keep hoping it would stay that way for a long time       

LMAO, really sorry. I am pretty sure that you didn't expect such a huuuge post but yeah', when it comes to Running Man (or Sooyoung), I can be really emotional and just talk a lot