"Touched Yoo Jae-suk and got 'malicious DMs'..." Yang Sang-guk, not at his peak for nothing [Interview 1]

*This content was translated by AI.

Comedian Yang Sang-guk (43) shared his thoughts on welcoming a second prime of his career with "What Do You Do?"

Yang debuted as a 22nd cohort public recruitment comedian for KBS in 2007. He later gained attention for his dialect acting on KBS 2TV "Gag Concert" and debuted as a race car driver in 2014, where he continues to compete as a driver to this day.

However, after "Gag Concert" ended in 2020, Yang had no notable activities. Yet, he has become a hot topic as the new key ring man for "National MC" Yoo Jae-suk. On MBC's "What Do You Do?" (hereinafter "Nolmwo"), he once again showcased the essence of dialect comedy, perfectly hitting the audience's taste.

As the "Gimhae Crown Prince," the cheat code for "Nolmwo's" buzz, Yang recently visited the Seoul Gwanghwamun StarNews building to share his direct thoughts on the intense interest. When asked about his second prime of his career, he said, "I feel like I'm dreaming or awake. Moreover, didn't they film 'Nolmwo' in my hometown, Jinyoung-eup in Gimhae? Since there hasn't been such a large-scale production in Jinyoung, the hometown itself was in an uproar. It's still very chaotic." He expressed his bewildered state of mind.

In particular, Yang uniquely evaluated that "'Nolmwo' created a 'second Yang Sang-guk' for me."

He then added, "When I first received the offer to appear on 'Nolmwo,' I was grateful just that such an invitation came to me. At that time, I didn't have fixed thoughts, but after completing three recordings, I now make sure to keep my Thursday schedule open just in case. That day is the 'Nolmwo' filming day," revealing his desire for a fixed role and drawing laughter.

In fact, Yang has also completed another recording for "Nolmwo." However, since there is still no fixed program, he honestly admitted, "I always have anxiety about when it might disappear. I have a strong desire for a fixed program."

He further confessed, "Actually, since 'Nolmwo' is not my fixed program, I was on edge during the first recording."

Yang then said, "I'm still being cautious, but on the other hand, I felt I had nothing to lose. Moreover, since senior Yoo Jae-suk, my colleague (Heo) Kyung-hwan, and HaHa have given me their trust and supported me well, I was able to approach it more comfortably than expected. Especially, HaHa sent me an encouraging text message the day before the first recording saying, 'I'll accept anything, so do whatever you want.'"

Yang, who soared high with his specialty in dialect acting, revealed, "'Nolmwo' truly had no script. Senior Yoo Jae-suk, as the main MC, seemed to know only the overall flow, and everything else was filled with ad-libs. They really just gave us clothes and wigs, and we performed a very 'live real' comedy. Since we did this realistic comedy for eight hours, we couldn't even predict how it would be broadcast. So, I had no idea it would be received this well."

What about his thoughts on being with "Yoo-nim" (Yoo Jae-suk + God)? Yang couldn't help but exclaim, "As expected, the 'National MC' is definitely different."

He said, "This is the first time I've truly synced with Senior (Yoo) Jae-suk. Since it's ad-lib, if I hit 100, how can I make everyone laugh at all 100? But Senior Jae-suk managed to bring out the best in every line. I was so busy doing my part and focused on grabbing what was right in front of me, but Senior Jae-suk definitely saw the whole picture. I didn't know this during filming, but I realized it after watching the broadcast. He sees and draws the big picture." He expressed his awe.

When asked about Yoo Jae-suk's reaction to the broadcast, Yang recalled, "Senior left me a text message saying, 'Yang, that was so much fun. Let's do it again.' That made me more excited than even 'I miss you, oppa.'"

Moreover, rather than getting carried away by the popularity of "Nolmwo," Yang drew attention by enduring the weight of the crown. He said, "I also know that 'Nolmwo' could be a poisoned chalice. It's not just anyone; it's Senior Yoo Jae-suk. Isn't Senior Yoo Jae-suk himself someone who would cause a major problem if touched wrongly? So, in fact, it's not easy. I feel like I'm walking the line between like and dislike. I'm playing on the borderline where a single step can go wrong. In fact, after the sketch where (Yoo Jae-suk) was asked to run errands on 'Nolmwo,' I also received malicious DMs (Direct Messages) such as 'Who do you think you are?' If it were 10 years ago, I would have been hurt, but since I've received so many hate comments over the years, I'm less bothered by them now."

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*This content was translated by AI.