Yoo God gave an interview :O

[ceecile.livejournal.com]

(July 2013)

Our meeting with the national MC Yoo Jae-Suk was energetic and comfortable. His smile never left his lips even after talks about living and reflections on his unknown past. Although he is an entertainer known for not interviewing despite all the love from the people, with his awarding of Grand Prize in 49th Baeksang Arts by Daily Sports, we managed to get him seated with the reporter. Because of his restless talks, the interview took about 2 hours and a half over expected 1 hour and a half. The description of him as the "Best example of model answers" by one of his associate was not wrong. But after 30 minutes, he began to come out of his nervousness and took his words out from his hearts. The meeting which took place at the first of this month in 'Happy Together' filming site began with laughs, but ended with three touching hugs.

The reason I am not doing interviews? It's because I am embarrassed.

"Hahaha." His voice coming through the door trembled the whole room. I thought Kang Ho-Dong was coming at that moment. His pronunciation gave the aura of a professional MC. "Sorry about doing this at Saturday. Running Man at Monday and Tuesday, Infinity Challenge at Wednesday and Thursday, and I have to carry out delayed schedule at Friday. Hahaha." Wearing the sauna outfit and a wig, he kept greeting us with "Nice to meet you" and "I am sorry."

-How long had been since your last interview?

"I did little for one or two occasions, but looks like this is my first official interview after 2005.

-You always invite guests and listen to their talks, but why didn't you do it yourself.

"(Scratching his wig) Personally, I get nervous doing it. I feel shy and since I manage my company alone, I don't know how to react to many media sources."

-Let's talk about the past. How's your family relationship?

"I was born in Seoul, the only son with two younger sisters. My parents were very strict. I got rebuked and hit a lot. I heard so much "Don't lie" and "Don't do anything that would harm others from them." I was frustrated at them talking about the same things, but because of them, I grew up without doing any bad things."

-What kind of a kid were you?

"I was a very~ funny kid. I played many pranks. I was in charge of planning games during school picnics and events. I also studied hard at elementary school. (Lowering his voice tone) Please know this, haha."

-Since when did you dream of being a comedian?

"I really liked making people laugh since elementary school days, and naturally, being a comedian became my goal. Right after entering Seoul Art College, I went to KBS University Gag Festival. Although my professor advised me to challenge it after graduating, but I wanted to become a comedian so much and I received a participation award. As my life at broadcast stations continued, I spent 4 years as a freshman. My GPA was around the ERA of Sun Dong-Yul (legendary Korean baseball pitcher). It was only 0.98 and so how could I enter the sophomore year? After my 4th year, the school contacted me to make a choice and I chose to leave school after considerations."

-How did it feel after getting the participation award?

"(Stopping for a while) I was overconfident back then. After hearing many talks about how funny I am, I thought there would be many buzz when I debuted as a comedian. 'Sunbaes whom I saw on TV would be begging to use me. I would get at least gold award.' But they called me for participation award. 'Something is wrong. There is a big mistake. The viewers watching this on TV wouldn't allow this.' So as a sign of complaint, I picked on my ear with my finger. Well..., I didn't know the society and the world. After entering the broadcast station, sunbaes did look for me, but it went into another direction than I wished for. Like 'Who was that guy who picked on his ear, how rude for him to do such at a broadcast.' To think about it know, I had to be grateful just becoming a comedian, but I really misunderstood it. My unknown days began like that. With putting wrong button on the jacket."

-Your unknown days lasted about 7-8 years. What was the problem?

"To look back, it's a simple and easy question. I didn't try hard. And always blamed others. I was doing bad, but didn't blame myself and was full of thoughts like 'They are not understanding my potentials. I am much more than this.' I had to do my best even put as a minor character, but I only cared about hiding my face in embarrassment. One day, I was a given a role of a person blasted by a bomb. So I had to have messy hair, put black stuffs on my face, rip my clothes to play that character all in, but I only cared about how to make my face and hair look cleaner. Instead of studying, planning for an idea, and worrying about how to create laughs, I only thought 'Why am I keep given this kind of roles?' 'Why does that PD hate me?' 'Why are they not recognizing me....' Everyday before I slept, I always blamed others like this."

He continued the talk by saying "That was my 20s." "If I wanted to play around, I should have played with my fullest, learn guitar, dance, so I wouldn't regret about anything. If I am asked about my biggest regrets in my 20s, I would say doing nothing, spending my time meaninglessly, staring blankly as it passed by, and wasting most of time like that. I regret about those times, without having any goals, blaming and criticizing others."

I prayed every day to 'Give me a chance.'

-Was there a time you wanted to give up?

"I didn't get castings as time went by, and looking at myself just wandering around the broadcast station like a passenger, I thought about going back to school. But my colleagues Kim Yong-Man, Park Soo-Hong called me for Chuseok special thinking 'We shouldn't leave him like this.' It was a corner which parodied New Kids on the Block which was very popular at that time. But..., I began to be nervous at there, like doing good at practices, but trembling at stages. I had no problems as a game organizer because I did it in front of my friends, but I felt my heart was about to burst doing it in front of people I didn't know. I couldn't remember my lines and it was a big mess. So I got all the dancing part wrong. I went to the right when my colleagues went to the left, my lips were trembling. Haha, every moment felt like an audition finals to me. I thought about getting recognized by doing this well. That's why there were big pressures to me."

After this, nervousness stuck together with his unknown years. 'With full laughs' and 'Root Capitol' corners later were the same too. Yoo Jae-Suk who played as the secretary role felt his head becoming empty after the 'Start' sign. NG, NG, and another NG. He managed to repeat his first sentence at second NG, but couldn't open his mouth at the third. While the audience was watching, the PD took the mike. "We will skip Yoo Jae-Suk's part." Thinking 'What should I do' and stomping around his feet, what disappointed him the most is that he can no longer blame anyone.

During late 1994, he chose to go to the army. He calmed down his heart during his army duty. "I prayed every day which I didn't even do usually. One more, please one more, I prayed sincerely for one more chance." After his duty, he became a reporter at Entertainment News. But his nervousness again took its toll. "I vowed myself to do good this time and memorized the script over 100 times. I even marked the spot where I frequently got wrong. But after the introduction by MC Lim Baek-Chun, I panicked and got it wrong from the far beginning. But my eyes were staring at another, my writings were messy.... So I was fired even as a reporter."

After this, he had decided. If he couldn't see vision until he is 30 years old, he would choose to walk in another path. But he would try his best until then. Although he wasn't still acknowledged, but because of the sight of him working hard, the talks of "At least Yoo Jae-Suk is hardworking" began to be circulated between PDs.

-Since when did you feel you are getting famous?

"At (19)97, I got my first character at 'My bold husband' from 'Everything in the Comedy World.' The PD gave me a chance. I worked really really hard. It was also popular, and I even did a solo interview for the first time in my life. But after the economic depression, the corner had to end. It was because the viewers might feel uncomfortable about conte which has the jobless man as the main character."

There was an invitation from Seo Se-Won show which was the most popular at the time to heartbroken Yoo Jae-Suk. However, his nervousness didn't leave him easily. "When I look at that broadcast, I was trembling on both my mouth and hands. But unexpectably, the viewers found it funny of my cheap talks and trembling. I wondered whether people would laugh at my talks. but I was surprised at the response at the site. I was only known as grasshopper or bejjangi, but I was finally being called with the name Yoo Jae-Suk. Seo Se-Won show was a big turning point of my life."

-Did you finally escape your long unknown years.

"I was confident that I was no less than anyone with making people laugh, but since I was broken in the very beginning, became humble, lost my confidence, and reached the very bottom, I began to think about it from the start again. What could be the problem, what did I misunderstand, I kept questioning myself. I cried a lot and reflected about a lot. As expected, the problem was only thinking about myself. Conte is a group work. Even at baseball teams, every players have to fulfill their roles at the positions which they are given. It's not like everyone becoming the 4th hitter wouldn't make the them win. But I only thought about that I had to be recognizable whether the team wins or loses. I had to laugh at the others when I find them funny, but I didn't because of thoughts of doing so would help them instead. I cared about only the main character inside my head."

Around that time, a sunbae asked him. "Do you know why Se-Won hyung rolls on the ground when he laughs?" "Maybe because it's funny. He has a different laughing style...." "That's not it. If someone great as Se-Won is laughing like this, wouldn't the viewers find the story funnier and the talker be more excited?" It was right. He says he realized at that moment, about what had been wrong.

My favorite nickname is grasshopper.

People always talk this about Yoo Jae-Suk. He is a 'without any entertainer' without any specialty, looks, charisma, and trendy words. But what could be his secret to his longevity? "I really don't know. So I am always grateful for it. My previous company boss always said this. 'Why don't you have charisma?' But what can I do about the lack of it? It's not like I know how to earn it. (Suddenly standing up still) To have charisma, you have to do this first, and do that second and third.... You have to build this for 60 days to have it. It would be good to do this.... Soon after, I told the boss this: I am sorry but I never felt uncomfortable because I didn't have charisma, and it's not easy for me to change my personality, so if it's not something hyung can buy for me, I will continue to live my way."

-You make the others comfortable. You are known to talk lesser than the guests, so do you have any beliefs as MC.

"I don't take notice of those things. I just do my best at the situation. If I have to criticize my program, I will do it. I don't have thoughts pushing for current image. Belief? I don't have other, but I always tell the guests this. 'Don't worry. Don't feel so nervous. It's okay.' It's never easy to come to varieties and hand out laughs. I also experienced those times and I know well. It's very burdening. But it's okay if isn't funny as it is supposed to. It's good when it becomes a hit today, but today's not everything."

-Do you have pressures whether to hold your position.

"Hmm..., I honestly never knew I would be this successful. I really thought I would be successful enough if I give people signatures when I go out, so I am surprised at the reality. But in these moments, I try to think only this: What should I do this week to be funny. Like the topic with charisma, what's good about thinking difficult about something which I don't have control."

-When do you think is your prime age? Is it over? Is it now? Or didn't it come yet?

"I wish it wouldn't come yet (laughs). It would be nice if my prime age would last until the day my career is over, but that wouldn't be possible, and there will be talks when people would say 'Yoo Jae-Suk's time is done.' I already prepared for it at my hearts, and I wouldn't be panicked when that happens. If I can to my best until the time allows, I have nothing to be scared. ...Of course I will have thoughts about it occasionally. Did I really have those times? And I wonder when I tell my son 'I had good times at the past' when he grows up."

-Doesn't grasshopper last more than a season?

"I wish that season would last very~ very long, hahaha. The reality of getting up in the early morning and working with my colleagues, this moment is so valuable to me."

-There must be different feelings with three shows you are on.

"First of all, I never expected that Infinity Challenge would last this long. And there is our life in there. Myung-Soo is married, Min-Seo is born, congratulations, there is now first man in 40s now, I have a baby now, there are two married man, no three.... Although I must not be certain about life, but I think my variety life will finish with Infinity Challenge. Happy Together is a program I feel most comfortable with. I think this sentence would contain my affections to it. While I was doing Running Man, it confirmed that I shouldn't judge or jump to conclusion about someone carelessly. I thought it wouldn't work. After the first broadcast, there were criticisms such as 'Sloppy program at weekend night.' I was honestly scared."

-What were you scared of. The fears of breaking your streak of success?

"Instead of the fears of failure, the fears of disappointing the others were greater. People who believed in me and followed me. And there were people who came in a long while. But if it was cancelled, we had to leave in separate ways again."

-The program you feel attachments to.

"Although I like all the three programs, but the program which I shivered in laughs was a corner "The Best in the World, Outsider Team' aired 2003. It was about cheap people gathering together and searching for meanings. Some say that this program was the original inspiration of Infinity Challenge, but I really liked this concept. What would it be like when people who are bad at studies and sports gather together and rank themselves. Without any people good at it, there could be 1st and 2nd place out of us."

-Grasshopper, Yoo god, Nalyoo, Yooruce Willis. Which is your favorite nickname.

"Probably Grasshopper, haha. I really hated it in the beginning. But do I really look like a grasshopper? (laughs) Around the late 90s, a PD gave me a grasshopper hat and said 'Since you have a weak recognition, if you want to film, you have to wear this hat.' At that time I wanted to be called as Yoo Jae-Suk, and disliked to be called as grasshopper. My hair would get messy too. However, that hat led to who I am today."

I am at where I am now because of Park Myung-Soo

-What attracted you to your wife (announcer Na Kyung-Eun)?

"She was kindhearted and warm. Her smiles were pretty and was energetic. About now? I am scared of her. What did I do wrong (laughs)? When anything happens, she blames me. If she does that, I have to apologize. That's the best way. But I take care of financial things."

-What do you do during your spare times. Do you chat a lot at your home too?

"Usually, I work out. If I don't, I don't have enough energy to hold on. I am not elastic, so I do some stretching and carry weights. Before my marriage, when I went home, I didn't speak a thing. But after I married, I speak a lot and it surprised my parents. It's because of my son too. I really love my son that I would give my life for him. But I feel sorry that I can't go to amusement parks with him. My hobby? Nothing much. My colleagues and chatting, that's fun to me."

-You worked with your manager for 12 years, and your coordinator with 8 years together.

"I managed to work with them together for a long time because of personal attachments and trusts. But I have a personality who can't directly express myself. It's like even I bought some food for my parents, when they look at me, I hide it behind my back. During the award ceremony, I really wanted to give words of thanks to them, but after I hugged Ho-Dong hyung, I forgot. I think I have to do it here even it's late. (Fixes his position) Thank you very much, and please stay with me without changing your hearts till the end."

How's Park Myung-Soo to you?

"Myung-Soo hyung is a person whose life itself is fun. Doesn't it show clearly that he is very greedy? It's impossible to create a nonexistent character. It takes something from which already exists. However, Myung-Soo hyung is a guy who really take cares of me. The viewers may look at it in an opposite way, but I think because of Myung-Soo hyung, I am at where I am.

Did you ever have depression or suicidal thoughts?

"I had many worries, but I think I didn't have depression. (With cowering voice) And about suicide, no. To talk about it honestly, I am very scared of things like death (laughs)."

-Do you want to challenge comedy programs again?

"Of course. I will do contes again someday."

-What would you choose between 10 minute conte and Yoo Jae-Suk show.

"(With no delay) Conte. I think I can't do a show with my name on because I will be embarrassed."

-What kind of person do you want to be remembered as?

"Just descriptions of 'That guy tried really hard. He did his best.' It would be better if there are talks about being funny and enjoyable additionally."

After finishing his interview, he carried heavy bags of the photo reporter himself and followed us to the front door to say good bye. After 4 hours of filming and two and a half hours of chats, he didn't seem tired. Maybe he already tasted many failures before. He told us that he even quit smoking which he liked two years ago. It's because he wanted to enjoy the tension of chasing and being chased.
The label 'National MC' didn't come from nowhere.

joongang | isubs-squad


This is his first official interview since 2005, cherish it people!
Please share your favourite Yoo-moments and spam away!

Comments

[hearttaek.livejournal.com]

Soooo looong but im going to read and re-read this.
What a rare thing.

[hipployta.livejournal.com]

Grasshopper...you're the best...you've worked hard and have definitely created some amazing comedic and variety memories

[obscurajae.livejournal.com]

Nothing but love for him. <3

It's hard for me to imagine him being the rookie he describes in this interview, feeling uncomfortable and thinking selfishly and fucking up all over the place, because I have never seen him as anything other than the best damn comedian/host/MC on Korean television.

[jewelry-flower.livejournal.com]

For me it's not that hard. People who are mature have to/ may go through a lot in their life to learn these hard lessons :) Aren't we like that too? When I look back at myself when I was 18, I think I honestly grow up a lot, and it's not about age :D

[icedevil0289.livejournal.com]

he's amazing and I kind of miss and jaedong doing things together

[hpn88.livejournal.com]

one of my favorite people hands down in the K-entertainment industry.

[eesor.livejournal.com]

omg i definitely teared up at the whole thing yoo jaesuk is an inspiration to all. ;~;

[lulufairybubble.livejournal.com]

I find him very attractive. My family thinks I'm crazy lol.

[sayuai.livejournal.com]

No, he definitely is lol

[kingalexarnold.livejournal.com]

lol i find him very attractive too

[xblackchristmas.livejournal.com]

didn't know he had that tough past. but glad he is who he is now and also my favorite MC.

[sayuai.livejournal.com]

Aww I love him

[zombiechick815.livejournal.com]

This was a really interesting read and it just makes me love him even more! He is so kind and caring. I wish more guys were like him!

[newlines.livejournal.com]

a super rare interview! i already knew about his newbie days because he's talked about it before, but it's nice to hear (or i guess read) again... since i'm also in my 20s, i want to take his advice and just try my best to live a meaningful life. he is a great role model :)

[dorawa.livejournal.com]

He is seriously amazing. Humble, kind, caring. Always making sure the others are comfortable before himself. He is a great man, definitely someone to look up to and love.

[jkkwai.livejournal.com]

love this guy ;~;

[tsuyoi-hikari.livejournal.com]

I first seen him during the X-Man days -- how years has passed by really quickly. :O

[phonominal.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure Yoo Jaesuk is my ultimate bias.
This is a great read and it's surprising to see him so embarrassed.

[yumematsu.livejournal.com]

I love him so much c: he's so wonderful and i love this interview? he's being so frank. but mostly i just love it because it's yoo! jae! suk! talking about his own life and his own experiences. here's hoping the grasshopper's season lasts a long time <3

[rawbabyoctopus.livejournal.com]

I love how he's just a humble and nice person overall.
He deserves all that's going on for him :)
My favourite MC! <3

[chibiyunie.livejournal.com]

Flawless and the first reason I started watching RM, which is now my favorite variety show ever ♡

[soft-daisy.livejournal.com]

He's so amazing/inspiring. Some of the realizations he mentioned here are full of wisdom from someone who's experienced a lot. Finally, he just seems like a very kind, down-to-earth/hard-working and humble person.

Flawless ahjusshi lol <3

[prlsb4swiine.livejournal.com]

oh my god I literally have tears in my eyes
favorite ahjussi
<3

[pentrue.livejournal.com]

bow.

[dirtybeauty.livejournal.com]

I am teary-eyed too. As many said, he is a real inspiration. My mom loves him since I started watching Family Outing, she always comes to sneak a peek when I'm watching Running Man, even though she doesn't understand a thing she laughs her as off. I think that kind of shows of great he is.
I also love his caring side. I am so happy that Running Man happeened after all, I love the entire cast.

[laeryn.livejournal.com]

So much love for him, tbh <3

[linzer-jello.livejournal.com]

Him and Myung Soo are great together. Ultimate bromance no lie

[zhonqda.livejournal.com]

applause for the reporter that got him to do the interview. what an eye opener to this man indeed!!

[ceecile.livejournal.com]

I applaud the reporter for going through the official channels to get the interview tbh. There have been interviews here and there but it's because the reporters were on a mission and basically cornered him. They even brag about it, "We found Yoo Jae Suk and even though he didn't want to he is such a nice guy he couldn't say no!"

[modestgoddess79.livejournal.com]

I love him so much.

[adorkableninja.livejournal.com]

He just proves that everyone deserves a second chance because anyone can change. He also proves that being humble and working hard will certainly deliver you in front of the door of success.