Super Junior member Kim Hee-chul (김희철) recently appeared on the YouTube channel 'Egennam Swings,' where he candidly revealed the true reason for his departure from JTBC's variety show 'Knowing Bros' (아는 형님) after 11 years as a host. He also shared the 'hosting philosophy' he learned from veteran host Kang Ho-dong (강호동), stating that Kang completely transformed his work attitude.
During his August 1 appearance on 'Egennam Swings,' Kim was asked why he left 'Knowing Bros,' a show he had been with for 11 years, and he openly shared the reasons behind his decision.
Kim explained that 'Knowing Bros' was consistently filmed every Thursday. However, last year, coinciding with Super Junior's 20th-anniversary tour, concerts were primarily scheduled for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. This often required him to rush between filming and tour commitments. He admitted that he sometimes had to miss recordings, and at times, due to his schedule, the production team had to arrange additional reshoots, significantly increasing the burden on the entire crew.
When discussing his senior colleague Kang Ho-dong, Kim couldn't help but express his admiration. He stated, "Ho-dong hyung always believed that the audience comes first. No matter how tired I am, if my leg is broken, or if I have a cold, the most important thing is not to betray the audience's trust in the show." He also revealed that his long-term collaboration with Kang Ho-dong significantly changed his perspective on work.
Kim also recounted a memorable anecdote. He shared that whenever filming stretched until 4 AM and everyone was exhausted, Kang Ho-dong would always tell them, "No, even though it's 4 AM for us right now, the audience will be watching this show at 6 PM." This statement has stuck with him to this day, making him deeply understand the responsibility artists owe to their audience.
Furthermore, Kim discussed Super Junior's income distribution during their peak activity. The host noted that the group's earnings had to be split among 13 members, which must have been quite challenging.
In response, Kim admitted, "At that time, many of our appearances actually resulted in losses." However, he also stated that while the income wasn't as high as outsiders might imagine, it was at least enough to sustain their livelihoods.
He concluded by jokingly admitting that since hosting 'Knowing Bros,' his income from solo activities was indeed higher than what he earned during his Super Junior group activities, showcasing his characteristic straightforward style.
