Kim Jong-kook, the renowned South Korean singer and television personality, recently opened the doors of his home to the cast of "Running Man," revealing a cluttered sanctuary filled with surprising collections. The visit, featuring co-hosts Yoo Jae-suk, Ji Suk-jin, Haha, Yang Se-chan, Song Ji-hyo, and Ji Ye-eun, was part of an episode where the members were tasked with tidying Jong-kook's abode while claiming items they wished to keep. The discovery of his extensive hoarding habits left the members in awe and disbelief.
Upon entering Jong-kook's home, the "Running Man" cast was greeted by a sight that could only be described as chaotic. Plastic bags piled waist-high cluttered the apartment's balcony, earning it the nickname the "plastic bag graveyard." This collection of shopping bags also bestowed Jong-kook with the moniker "Bag Man," as he admitted to keeping them for transporting waste to recycling bins, while larger bags made their way home due to their perceived utility. Despite the mess, Jong-kook insisted he would "use them someday," displaying a reluctance to part with his amassed items.
Jong-kook's tendency to hold onto possessions extended beyond plastic bags. His home contained expired food items, including side dishes over a year old. The excessive accumulation of goods extended to luxury clothing, with a walk-in closet bursting at the seams with designer brands gifted to him. The closet's appearance prompted Haha to remark that it resembled a storage room. In an act of generosity, Jong-kook gifted some of these luxury items to his fellow cast members, including Dior shoes for Suk-jin and Adidas Yeezy slides for Haha and Se-chan.
"This may sound weird, but wearing them seems like a penalty to me." – Jong-kook
The visit also unveiled Jong-kook's peculiar habit of purchasing coffee, only to drink a small portion and store the remainder in the refrigerator.
"When I buy coffee, I drink just a little and keep what's left in the fridge." – Jong-kook
The state of Jong-kook's home astonished his guests. Yoo Jae-suk expressed disbelief at the extent of Jong-kook's hoarding tendencies.
"You can't use all these in a lifetime." – Jae-suk
"It's always good to be frugal… However, this has gone too far and this is the same as being unmanageable." – Jae-suk
Adding to the chaos was the fact that Jong-kook was in the process of moving homes before June 2023, which compounded the disarray in his apartment. The members expressed shock at the unchanged state of his home since Jae-suk's visit two years prior.
The endeavor to clean and organize Jong-kook's living space became a challenging task for the "Running Man" members. Discovering such an overwhelming amount of clutter and witnessing Jong-kook's struggle to let go of items surprised many of them. Yet, amidst the laughter and camaraderie, there was a shared understanding of Jong-kook's sentimentality and practicality in keeping certain items.
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