Kim Hee-chul Addresses Criticism Over Joining 'Love War' After Taking Break from 'Knowing Bros'

Super Junior's Kim Hee-chul has revealed the background behind his decision to join the new variety show "Love War" while currently taking a break from "Knowing Bros."

Attending the online press conference for the new JTBC variety program "Love War" on the morning of June 23, Kim expressed his regret over joining a new program while temporarily stepping away from his spot on JTBC's "Knowing Bros," stating, "It is something that deserves criticism."

Kim, who has been an original cast member of "Knowing Bros" since 2015, has been on hiatus from the program since May due to health reasons. Expressing his deep affection for the show, Kim said, "As everyone knows, 'Knowing Bros' is a very precious program to me." Regarding his decision to take a break, he cited a decline in focus caused by his frequent overseas schedules. He confessed, "We film 'Knowing Bros' every Thursday, and I had to adjust my schedule around my departures. At some point, I realized I wasn't able to focus properly because I was filming two episodes at once after returning."

In particular, he shared that advice from his senior colleague Kang Ho-dong made him reflect on himself. Kim recalled, "Ho-dong always said, 'No matter how tired we are or how long we've been on a plane for 20 hours, the guests and viewers should never be able to tell.' Seeing myself sitting in the front row but failing to focus, I thought, 'Ah, I need to rest. I am not being professional,'" he confessed.

However, he is now appearing in a new variety show on the same network during his "Knowing Bros" hiatus. Kim shared his honest thoughts, saying, "'Love War' was already scheduled to happen since the beginning of this year," but added, "When I joined 'Love War,' I thought, 'What do I do? I'm going to get a ton of criticism.'"

He added, "Fortunately, the production team of 'Knowing Bros' is very supportive. I am also grateful that Kim Shin-young is doing such a great job (filling the vacancy)."

Seo Jang-hoon, who was also present, spoke on behalf of Kim's situation. Seo said, "Hee-chul has had so many overseas schedules since last year. That is a fact the 'Knowing Bros' staff is well aware of," adding, "'Love War' was a commitment made earlier this year, so it just happened to turn out that way in terms of timing," helping to dispel public misunderstanding.

Meanwhile, the new JTBC variety show "Love War," which Kim Hee-chul has joined, is a makeover dating reality program where couples at the crossroads of a breakup share realistic concerns about whether to continue their relationship. It features Lee Hyo-ri, Seo Jang-hoon, and Kim Hee-chul.

(Photo: Courtesy of JTBC)

Reported by Kang Seon-ae
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.