[Sports Chosun, reporter Bae Ji-eun] Turbo’s Kim Jong-kook is finally off the market.
On the 5th, Kim Jong-kook will marry his non-celebrity girlfriend at a location in Seoul. The wedding will be held privately with only close family and friends invited. The ceremony will be hosted by ‘national MC’ Yoo Jae-suk. Kim Jong-kook and Yoo Jae-suk have a long-standing partnership from working together on SBS shows like ‘X-Man’ and ‘Running Man’. Yoo Jae-suk previously mentioned on ‘Running Man’, “He asked me to host, but I had a shooting scheduled. Yet, since it was for his wedding, I rearranged my schedule. It was the first time I received such a last-minute request to host a wedding.”
The identity of Kim Jong-kook’s fiancée has not been revealed. There were rumors that ranged from her being a ‘CEO of a cosmetics company residing in LA’ to being ‘the daughter of a renowned English instructor and an employee at a major corporation, 20 years his junior’. However, Kim Jong-kook remained silent on these speculations.
On ‘Running Man’, he said, “She is not someone from the entertainment industry. She’s someone you absolutely don’t know,” and he firmly expressed that he has no plans to reveal his wife on any shows in the future.
On the 18th of last month, Kim Jong-kook personally announced his marriage by saying, “I’m getting married. For my 30th debut anniversary, instead of releasing an album, I’ve found my other half.” He later surprised everyone again with another announcement on ‘Running Man’. The secretive nature of his relationship and marriage piqued a lot of interest, even surprising close friends like Yoo Jae-suk and Haha, to which Kim Jong-kook responded, “I will strive to live well.”
Kim Jong-kook will start his married life in a luxurious villa in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, which he purchased with 6.2 billion won in cash.
Debuting with Turbo in 1995, Kim Jong-kook released numerous hits like ‘Reminiscence’, ‘X’, and ‘Cyber Love’, gaining immense popularity. From 2001, he embarked on a successful solo career with hits like ‘One Man’ and ‘Lovable’. He is currently appearing on shows such as ‘Running Man’ and ‘Problematic Men in the Rooftop Room’.
Reporter Baek Ji-eun silk781220@sportschosun.com