Singer Kim Jong-kook's 'marriage' news has also caused a stir on the Chinese mainland.
As of the afternoon of the 18th, the keyword "Kim Jong-kook marriage official announcement" is ranked No. 1 in real-time trending searches on Weibo, China's largest social networking service (SNS) platform.
In addition, related keywords such as "Running Man members were unaware of Kim Jong-kook's marriage," "Kim Jong-kook's 6.2 billion won newlywed house," and "Kim Jong-kook's wife is a non-celebrity" are also trending in real-time search rankings.
SBS's 'Running Man' has maintained consistent popularity in China for over a decade, proving Kim Jong-kook's high popularity and influence locally as a core cast member.
Chinese netizens have reacted to Kim Jong-kook's marriage news with comments like, "It wasn't news about a marriage with a gym," "I had my suspicions when I suddenly saw him buying a villa and moving," "I thought he would be single for life, but I wish him happiness," "It's surprising that a Korean celebrity's marriage news has become such a hot topic in China," "I've been watching 'Running Man' since elementary school, so it feels strange," and "So who is going to be my sister-in-law?"
While most messages are filled with blessings and support, some netizens mentioned the recent anti-China protests in South Korea, reacting with, "Even in this situation, Korean celebrity news ranks No. 1 in searches."
On this day, Kim Jong-kook posted a handwritten letter on his official fan cafe to personally announce his marriage news. He stated, "I'm getting married," and added, "It's a bit late, but I'm so grateful to be going this way. I will do my best to live well."
In particular, he also announced the marriage news during the opening of the SBS 'Running Man' recording that took place on the same day. This moment can be seen in the broadcast on September 7.
Meanwhile, Kim Jong-kook plans to hold a private wedding ceremony soon, inviting family and close friends in a relatively small scale.
[Kim Mi-ji, Star Today Reporter]
