HAHA Recalls Confronting Disrespectful Artists as Rookie, Praises Kind Seniors

Korean entertainer HAHA (하하) recently recounted his early days as a rookie reporter, revealing instances where some artists ignored him or treated him poorly. Instead of enduring the disrespect, HAHA confronted them directly, a revelation that brought laughter to the set.

On Oct. 2, the YouTube channel “유튜브하지영” released its latest video, featuring HAHA and Kim Won-hyo (김원효) as guests, chatting with host Ha Ji-young (하지영). During the program, Ha Ji-young first shared her own challenging experiences as an interview reporter, admitting she often felt exploited or treated rudely during her work.

Intrigued, HAHA pressed her, asking, “Can you tell us how rude they were? Just give us a moderate example.” He wanted her to share specific incidents. Ha Ji-young revealed that some people in the past looked down on the profession of a “reporter.” “In that era, it seemed like anyone could treat people in this profession however they wanted,” she said. HAHA strongly agreed, stating, “Exactly, I really encountered a lot of that back then.”

Ha Ji-young then shared a specific experience of being dismissed during an interview. She recalled smiling and greeting an artist, then asking about their current drama. To her surprise, the artist coldly retorted, “Did you come here without knowing anything?” She still vividly remembers the artist’s expression, admitting, “That expression was like it said, ‘I don’t want to talk to you.’ I cried a lot on the spot.”

As her work experience grew, Ha Ji-young gradually learned how to handle similar situations. She revealed that if she encountered an artist unwilling to cooperate with an interview again, she would directly pause the filming and then politely but firmly say, “Senior, if you’re unwilling to answer, we’ll have to rely on subtitles, which won’t help much in promoting the drama. Let’s try the interview again.”

Hearing this, HAHA also recalled his own experiences when he first started, but revealed his approach was even more direct. “I used to just argue with people,” he said. HAHA explained that he encountered artists who tried to dominate rookies or deliberately ignore him during interviews. Whenever someone would retort with a “Don’t you know?” tone, he would directly reply, “I don’t know either.” His unyielding response made everyone on set burst into laughter.

HAHA also admitted that he had a straightforward personality when he was younger. “I was a bit naive. If someone was good to me, I’d be good to them. But back then, I couldn’t yet embrace everyone with what you’d call kindness.”

However, despite clashing with rude artists, HAHA always remembered those who treated him warmly during his rookie days. He stated that even after many years, he remains grateful to these seniors.

When discussing artists who particularly looked out for him, HAHA first mentioned the Korean boy group Shinhwa (신화), praising them, “Shinhwa really has a lot of heart. I’m very close with them, and I truly like them.” He also brought up singer Kim Jang-hoon (김장훈), thanking him for “being willing to take me everywhere when I was nothing.” This care has remained etched in his memory.

Additionally, HAHA specifically mentioned the girl group Baby V.O.X, revealing that he had actually been rude to them back then. “Even though I was the one being disrespectful, they were still willing to tolerate me,” he shared.

HAHA’s recollections offer another glimpse into his early career. He chose to directly challenge artists who disrespected him, but he has never forgotten the seniors and colleagues who extended a helping hand during his rookie days, cherishing their kindness as enduring relationships over the years.