Jang Geun-seok reveals past "celebrity illness": "Greedy for a black card, underwent the review process three times" [Ok-mun-a]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Jang Geun-seok opened up about his past struggles with "celebrity illness."

On the the 5th broadcast of KBS 2TV's variety program 'Problem Children in the Attic,' Jang Geun-seok displayed his straightforward and candid speaking style.

During the broadcast, Jang Geun-seok shared recent updates on his life, noting that he has changed his daily routine since returning to acting. He said, "In the past, I was confident in my physical condition and felt no tension even if I stayed up all night because I could memorize the script immediately, but after not doing it for a long time, I realized I need to maintain a state of constant tension to keep my courage up." He then revealed his 'god-life' routine of waking up at 10 a.m., eating a salad, going boxing at 11 a.m., and then heading to the gym.

When asked about his thorough self-discipline, he gave a bold answer: "A deposit came in three weeks ago, so it had to be the biggest driving force," bringing laughter and empathy from the audience.

Meanwhile, Jang Geun-seok ignited the conversation by sharing the thrilling moment when he took over the Tokyo Dome stage. As a high school student, after watching SMAP's Tokyo Dome concert, he dreamed, "I will perform there within 10 years." Seven years later, he fulfilled that dream, and he reflected on that time with emotion. He explained, "The cheers pierced through my in-ear monitors," describing the overwhelming atmosphere of the time, and added, "I told myself, 'This is my chance in life,' 'This is the time my dream is coming true, so I must not falter here,' and I pretended not to care and pushed through to perform on stage."

Following that, Jang Geun-seok mentioned his overwhelming popularity in Japan and shared unbelievable anecdotes, adding to the fun. He revealed a story about having top-tier vehicles waiting at his command and receiving an unlimited black card from a Japanese Ra Men-jip (President) gentleman. He said, "I think there are two types of trips to Japan: the trips you take and the trips I take," showing off his cute vanity and drawing cheers from the MCs.

Jang Geun-seok drew attention by opening up about his past struggles with the so-called "celebrity illness" caused by his immense popularity, revealing his dark history. He confessed, "After graduating from high school, I wanted to show off my band so much. My friends suggested we eat gamjatang, but I brought the band along." He also shared an anecdote about undergoing the credit card company's review process three times to obtain a 'black card' that only 0.05% of people possess, making the viewers burst into laughter.

On the other hand, when recalling his days as a child actor, Jang Geun-seok's human charm shone through. He began by saying, "This is a story that all child actors can relate to, but you have to pretend it's not hard to endure," and added, "In my case, I went around alone without a manager." Furthermore, Jang Geun-seok calmly explained the situation at the time, saying, "My family situation was very difficult, so I had to do that to protect my family," and "It wasn't the time to talk about who had it harder," deeply touching the hearts of viewers.

Meanwhile, Jang Geun-seok is currently active in variety shows such as tvN's 'Gugidong Friends' and ENA's 'Directors Arena.' In addition, his band, CHIMIRO, led by him, successfully concluded its performances in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan, starting with '2026 THE CHIMIRO IN SEOUL' on April 11, and will continue with a Tokyo performance on July 25.

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*This content was translated by AI.