South Korean star Kim Jong-kook gave Running Man members a shock with the state of his home in the most recent episode of the long-running variety show which aired last Sunday (Feb 23).
In the episode, the members — which consist of Yoo Jae-suk, Ji Suk-jin, Haha, Yang Se-chan, Song Ji-hyo and Ji Ye-eun — visited the 48-year-old’s apartment, which they were supposed to help clean up and identify the things they want to keep for themselves.
While some members were aware that Jong-kook has difficulties throwing things away, they were still surprised to see the clutter.
“It’s the same, he didn’t clean up,” Jae-suk, 52, said as he stepped inside Jong-kook’s apartment.
He even realised that there was more clutter in his living room as compared to when he visited two years ago.
“I tell people not to give me stuff, but they keep giving things to me. I have no place to keep them,” Jong-kook defended, adding that he is moving home before June this year, which added to the mess.
Jae-suk added that the clutter in the living room is not the most surprising part of his home and proceeded to show the members the balcony, which had a waist-high amount of plastic bags and other items strewn around.
“How am I supposed to go in there?” he asked Jong-kook, who replied he doesn’t go to his balcony.
‘This has gone too far’
They also opened his fridge and saw piles of disposable plastic containers with side dishes and condiments from food delivery and leftover bottles of coffee.
When they asked him about the coffee, Jong-kook shared: “When I buy coffee, I drink just a little and keep what’s left in the fridge.”
He added that he would consume it directly from the fridge later because “it’s already cold and doesn’t need ice”.
As for the plastic containers, he said he had requested for no side dishes when ordering food, but would still receive them.
“If they are fresh and untouched, I reckon I’ll eat them someday. It’ll be a waste to throw them, so I place them in the fridge. However, I never eat them,” Jong-kook added, sharing that there was even side dishes from a year ago.
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When the members advised him to throw them away, he said that it would be a hassle as he needed to wash the containers.
In South Korea, waste is categorised in their recycling system and plastic containers and bottles should be emptied and rinsed before they are placed in the recycling bins.
Having heard enough of Jong-kook’s explanations, Haha, 45, said: “Why don’t you live in the countryside with a kerosene lamp?”
“It’s always good to be frugal… However, this has gone too far and this is the same as being unmanageable,” Jae-suk added.
Jong-kook also said he kept the plastic bags to carry waste to the recycling bins, but sometimes ended up bringing bigger plastic bags home because “they’re quite useful” and he will “use them someday”.
Even his closet is not spared from the clutter.
Haha commented that Jong-kook’s walk-in closet looked like a storage room and was filled with clothing from luxury brands, which were gifted to the latter.
When asked why he didn’t wear them, Jong-kook said: “This may sound weird, but wearing them seems like a penalty to me.”
He then gave his brand new Dior shoes to Suk-jin and Adidas Yeezy slides to Haha and Se-chan.
‘You can’t use all these in a lifetime’
The members paired up to clean Jong-kook’s home, with Jae-suk and Suk-jin taking the balcony, Ji-hyo and Ye-eun cleaning his kitchen and Haha and Se-chan tidying the walk-in closet.
As they tried to clear out his plastic bags, Jong-kook was reluctant to throw them away. They also tried to clear his heaps of paper bags, which he said shouldn’t be thrown away because he could keep food in it.
“You can’t use all these in a lifetime,” Jae-suk laughed.
Eventually, he also found in the balcony a box of protein drinks, packs of bottled water, soju, instant noodles, rice, expired boxes of juices in gift boxes and new general waste bags.
For his collection of shopping bags, Jae-suk nicknamed him Bag Man, adding that he’s a “bag maniac”.
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Se-chan, who was tidying the walk-in wardrobe with Haha, told Jong-kook he could have easily made 20 million won (S$18,700) with the pile of luxury items lying in his room.
They also found a new diffuser which they wanted to put in Jong-kook’s bathroom, but the latter made a fuss and said that it should be thrown out or given to someone else.
“Why is it a waste? Can’t this house get some love?” Haha said.
In the end, the members tidied his home and cleared out boxes, a few bags of plastic bags as well as leftover side dishes and coffee from the fridge. Jae-suk even mopped the floor.
The latest episode of Running Man is now available on Viu.
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