South Korean "Commander" Kim Jong-kook (김종국) quietly married his non-celebrity wife, nine years his junior, last September. The entire process, from wedding preparations to the ceremony itself, was kept highly confidential, and his wife's identity continues to be a subject of public interest. Recently, Kim appeared on the variety show 'Real Men's Travelogue in Taiwan' (진남의 여행법 in 대만). During the trip, his insistence on his specific eating habits led his close friend Choo Sung-hoon (추성훈) to give up, remarking, "Your wife must have it tough!" This comment unexpectedly revealed details about Kim Jong-kook's daily life after marriage.
The latest episode of the SBS Plus and MBN variety show 'Real Men's Travelogue in Taiwan,' aired on the 13th, featured Choo Sung-hoon, Kim Jong-kook, and Zico (지코) embarking on a trip across Taiwan. The trio explored various locations without a fixed itinerary, encountering many humorous incidents along the way.
During the show, when Choo Sung-hoon and Kim Jong-kook discussed their eating habits, Choo Sung-hoon repeatedly nagged Kim Jong-kook about his eating style, citing health reasons. Kim Jong-kook, not to be outdone, retaliated by bringing up Choo Sung-hoon's helplessness in front of his wife, Shiho Yano (矢野志保), leading to an immediate bickering match between the two.
Despite Choo Sung-hoon's constant reminders, Kim Jong-kook remained firm in his own way of sharing food, which increasingly frustrated Choo Sung-hoon. Eventually, Choo Sung-hoon couldn't help but sigh, saying, "Your wife must have it tough!" He then directly conceded, "I give up, Jong-kook!" completely defeated by Kim Jong-kook's stubbornness, creating a lively and hilarious atmosphere on set.
In fact, Kim Jong-kook's post-marriage diet was previously revealed on another show. When he appeared on 'Problem Child in House' (옥탑방의 문제아들), he shared his daily menu, revealing that his wife now personally prepares almost all three of his meals. Breakfast consists of chicken breast fried rice with Greek yogurt, topped with nuts and blueberries. Lunch is soy milk noodles, with the soy milk base even handmade by his wife at home. For dinner, he eats his favorite ssam (lettuce wraps), a seemingly simple meal that balances protein and vegetable intake.
Seeing Kim Jong-kook enjoy such nutritionally balanced meals every day, Yang Se-chan (양세찬) couldn't help but look envious, laughing, "I want to get married too!" which amused the other guests on set.
However, Kim Jong-kook's life before marriage was quite different from now. He previously revealed his single life on the SBS variety show 'My Little Old Boy' (미운 우리 새끼), where he began living alone after 43 years of living with his family. In the show, he would sometimes eat only an apple for breakfast after waking up, even being extremely frugal with water when washing it, earning him the nickname "Thrifty Master" from the show.
Furthermore, Kim Jong-kook's cooking skills were quite rudimentary at the time; he often settled for simple breakfasts, and his refrigerator was stocked with side dishes prepared by his mother. On one occasion, he even served frozen seaweed soup prepared by his mother directly to the table before it was fully defrosted, leaving a lasting impression on viewers with his simple and casual lifestyle.
From simply eating an apple and relying on his mother's side dishes before marriage, to now having his wife personally prepare chicken breast fried rice, Greek yogurt, and even homemade soy milk broth, Kim Jong-kook's "pre- and post-marriage dining tables" present a stark contrast. Now, not only are his three meals taken care of, but even the details of his diet have drawn teasing from his friends, leading many netizens to exclaim, "The difference before and after marriage is truly immense!"
