Comedian Kwak Beom is set to showcase a tear-jerking pork belly feast and candid conversations after completing a grueling half-marathon.
In the web variety show "Ganjeolhanip" (Desperate Bite) on the YouTube channel Studio Suje, which will be released at 6:30 p.m. today, fellow comedian Kim Ji-yu joins Kwak as his pacemaker for his first-ever 21km half-marathon.
Before the race, Kim greeted Kwak with his affectionate nickname, "Kwak-jjon-ku," but was shocked to see his noticeably slimmer physique. Kwak, who revealed he has lost 12kg, emphasized that "running 10km every day is the driving force that helps me endure my busy schedule," crediting his stamina to his running routine despite his hectic workload.
Kwak stood at the starting line with the ambitious goal of finishing within two hours. However, the race did not go smoothly. Kim, having overpaced at the beginning, dropped out at the 5km mark, and Kwak, who had been maintaining his pace, faced an emergency after the 12km mark as he suffered severe cramps in both calves. Attention is focused on whether he was able to overcome his limits and finish within his target time despite the intense pain.
After crossing the finish line, the first thing Kwak sought was not a gourmet meal, but "frozen pork belly." Praising the frozen pork belly as something that "feels like it is being absorbed at the cellular level," he headed straight to his favorite restaurant. After putting a piece of the meat he had been dreaming of into his mouth, he made everyone laugh by saying, "It gives me a rush," while wearing a look of pure bliss.
During the meal, Kwak shared his firm beliefs regarding comedy, moving the audience. He reflected on the dark days following the cancellation of "Gag Concert" and shared a hilarious anecdote about being mistaken for actor Park Bo-gum by citizens while running along the Han River.
Regarding the burnout he faced due to his non-stop activities, he confessed, "Senior comedian Lee Yong-jin once told me that a comedian is replaced the moment they leave their spot." Using that advice as a guide, he pushed himself, thinking, "Who am I to experience burnout?" Explaining why he continues to run his comedy channel using his own money, he said, "I am getting criticized and running at a loss, but I took the open recruitment exam and became a comedian to do comedy. I just want to do my best to make people laugh wherever I am called and become a small source of happiness for someone having a hard day," drawing admiration from those around him.
His side as a devoted "daughter-fool" also left a strong impression. Watching him take a call from his daughter during the shoot and kindly book a hair salon appointment for her, Kim Ji-yu could not hide her envy, saying she wished Kwak were her father.
The episode of "Ganjeolhanip" featuring the sweat-filled marathon challenge and the deep inner thoughts of popular comedian Kwak Beom will be uploaded to the YouTube channel "Studio Suje" at 6:30 p.m. today.
(Photo courtesy of Studio Suje)
Reported by Kang Seon-ae
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