“Running Man” And Kim Jong Kook Shock With Their Popularity Outside Korea

Kim Jong Kook felt the scale of his global popularity, shocking his fellow colleagues with how recognizable he is even outside of Korea.

On October 13th, SBS Plus and MBN‘s Real Men’s Travel Guide in Taiwan aired, showing Choo Sung Hoon, Kim Jong Kook, and Zico enjoying their trip in Taiwan.

They visited the Shilin Night Market. At the night market, Kim Jong Kook was repeatedly asked by fans for photos, making it almost impossible for him to move forward due to the continuous requests. Seeing this, Choo Sung Hoon and Zico showed a mix of envy and bittersweet expressions toward Kim Jong Kook.

The next day, they went out for breakfast. A female customer at the restaurant asked Kim Jong Kook if he was from Running Man. When the producers confirmed that he was indeed Kim Jong Kook from Running Man, the woman couldn’t hide her surprise.

Choo Sung Hoon remarked, “Looking at it that way, Running Man is really huge,” expressing amazement at the show’s popularity. Kim Jong Kook explained, “In Taiwan, many young people grew up watching it, just like in Korea.“