Singer Kim Jung-min revealed the daily life of a ‘Goose Dad’.
In the second episode of tvN STORY’s ‘Couples Living Apart’ aired on the 4th, following the couple of actress Moon So-ri and director Jang Jun-hwan living in Seoul and Jeju, Kim Jung-min and his wife Rumiko, who are in their 20th year of marriage and have been living apart for 2 years, became the second main characters.
As they observed each other's very different days, separated by about 560 km between Korea and Japan, they were shocked by the realities they were unaware of, but it was also a time to confirm the family love that has grown fonder due to the distance.
First, the love story of Kim Jung-min and Rumiko, whose memories of each other are very different, was revealed. Rumiko received a call from singer Park Hye-kyung while shopping and ended up on a blind date with Kim Jung-min while holding a shopping basket. Two days later, they went on a trip together and ended up staying overnight, which was not part of the plan.
Kim Jung-min called it “fate,” while Rumiko shouted “operation,” causing laughter. Nevertheless, this trip sparked trust between them, and everything progressed at lightning speed afterward. They registered their marriage 45 days after their first meeting and held their wedding 142 days later. Now, as parents of three sons, they are living apart between Korea and Japan for their eldest and second sons' soccer studies.
Rumiko's reason for appearing was, “(I dream of being a good wife) I did all the housework so my husband wouldn’t have to lift a finger. So I was curious if he was managing to wash dishes and eat well on his own.” However, the revealed state of Kim Jung-min's household was shocking.
His ‘high-level hand skills’ included washing the chopsticks used to stir his sugar coffee, which he drinks at least 15 cups a day, with only water, an ‘all-in-one cleaning method’ that solves cleaning from the sofa to the dining table to the bed with just one vacuum cleaner, a ‘sense of smell laundry method’ to determine if the laundry is done by smell, and a ‘side dish management method’ that involved pouring new side dishes into a container bought a week ago, allowing mold to grow.
Kim Jung-min's very human approach to household chores was enough to invite Rumiko's nagging. It was so amusing that even the sharing angel Moon So-ri suggested, “Shall we be friends?” making the studio burst into laughter.
Even if his household management was lacking, Kim Jung-min's day was filled with thoughts of his family. He would wake up in the morning and leave a message in the family group chat first, waiting for replies, and checking his phone several times a day became a habit. Every time he finished a household chore, he would report it, and after completing 350 push-ups, 700 squats, and 30 minutes of indoor cycling, he would take a certification photo and endlessly gaze at the family chat room, filling his daily life with a sense of longing.
Moreover, as he watched past videos of his sons, his eyes became moist, leading the MCs to tease him, saying, “His main job is a ‘Goose Dad,’ but in reality, he’s a ‘Home Dad.’”
On the other hand, Rumiko, who is taking care of their three sons alone in Saga, Japan, was buried in a non-stop ‘quest grave’ from the moment she opened her eyes. As soon as she prepared breakfast for the youngest, she had to run errands for her two sons living in the dormitory and hurried to the soccer field. Even while watching the game, she had to worry as her second son got injured.
Nevertheless, when her son, who said he was feeling hot just five minutes into the game, she encouraged him, saying, “The opponent is the same. You have to overcome it.” This was a stark contrast between Rumiko, who wants to raise her children strong as a ‘Goose Mom,’ and Kim Jung-min, who tears up just watching videos of his kids as a ‘Home Dad.’
Rumiko's busy day didn’t end there. After delivering the youngest to his academy, she returned to the dormitory to bring her two sons home, then moved again to pick up the youngest after his class, continuing her rigorous schedule. Her daily travel amounted to 120 km, comparable to the distance between Seoul and Chuncheon, showcasing her ‘Super Mom routine.’
In the midst of all this, she stopped by a local specialty mart to buy a lot of nourishing food, preparing a feast of pork ribs kimchi stew and various seafood dishes, but in taking care of her three children, she didn’t even have a moment to scoop a spoonful of food for herself.
Kim Jung-min finally understood why his wife couldn’t respond to his barrage of messages and expressed heartfelt sympathy, saying, “It must have been tough.” The couple, who became more affectionate through observing each other’s daily lives, shared a touching moment. Later, while talking about their dad at the dinner table, the children finally connected with Kim Jung-min through a long-awaited video call. Even while living apart, their deep connection and family love provided a heartwarming moment for the viewers.
The observational reality show ‘Couples Living Apart,’ where couples living in separate homes due to reasons like child-rearing, work, and values rediscover the affection that had faded away by observing each other's daily lives, airs every Thursday at 8 PM on tvN STORY.
[Kim Mi-ji, Star Today Reporter]
