The youngest cast member of the super popular Korean variety show Running Man has been portrayed as one of the weakest and most timid, often resorting to betraying the others to stay in the game – hence “Betrayer” is one of his nicknames. However, Lee Kwang Soo’s sense of humour still manages to shine in the show and has won him legions of supporters in Asia and also the title of “Asia’s Prince”.
In the press conference held at Resorts World Sentosa on August 16, 2013, the 1.90m tall Korean actor-model-entertainer may have been reduced to laughing shyly at some of the questions asked but he always managed to recover with witty and sometimes self-deprecating answers.
When a fan praised his good complexion and asked about his skincare regime, he grinned and said that his makeup was the reason he looked good. But we have to say, after seeing Lee look worse for wear after the physical challenges in Running Man, he cleaned up well, looking sharp in a black blazer and slim checked pants.
Lee definitely charmed all those who were present, especially when he gamely showed off his “Robot” dance – go to herworldPLUS’ instagram for the video! Here are the other highlights of the Q&A session held at the press conference.
Q: What did you eat when you were young that helped you grow so tall?
LKS: I like milk!
Q: This is a good opportunity for you to be a spokesperson for a milk company.
LKS: Yes, thank you! [Laughs] I’ll continue my love for milk.
Q: What advantages and disadvantages are there to being so tall in the entertainment industry?
LKS: I like my height although it can be difficult to dress up. Probably the disadvantage is I get noticed easily on Running Man because of my height!
Q: What age do you want to get married?
LKS: I get very embarrassed when I get asked these kind of questions. I never really thought about it but of course I must wait for (Kim) Jong Kook (fellow Running Man cast member) to go first.
Q: If you could change your character on Running Man, how would you change it?
LKS: If I want to win, the only way for me to survive on the show is to continue to betray others. [Laughs] But I’m sure what kind of character I would like to change myself. If the opportunity allows, I will probably work out and have a cool body like Jong Kook and try to beat him.
Q: You have been nominated many times for acting awards but haven’t nailed an award yet, are you confident of finally bagging one this year?
LKS: I would love to receive an award but I’m not dying for one. I just want to do my best and maybe I’ll get lucky one day and be up on stage to receive a cool award.
Q: You have played many different roles in dramas, what kind of character would you like to try out?
LKS: I’ve played a lot of friendly and kind roles in the past and that is probably why being a mean character (his latest role in Goddess of Fire) is different but I’m satisfied with this because I want to try a variety of characters, especially those I haven’t tried before.
Q: Among the cast members, who do you think is best at Running Man and where do you rank yourself?
LKS: This is my own opinion so I hope you guys can keep it a secret! Last will be Suk Jin while sixth is Haha, fifth is Gary and fourth is Jae Suk, third is Ji Hyo. I’ll be the second – Jong Kook is very sensitive to this kind of issues and he will probably be happy to hear that he is first on my ranking.
Q: On the scale of one to 10, how would you rate your own looks?
LKS: Just give me a moment to think, it was a great question, thank you. [Pauses in mock concentration] Maybe seven or eight? [The audience yells out 15] I’ll take better care of my appearance next time!
Q: You appear really outgoing on screen, is that your true personality?
LKS: I’m actually very shy with people and tend to get serious. Thankfully in Running Man, all the members are active and bubbly and I become “high” and have more energy because of them.
Q: Which Running Man episode is most memorable to you?
LKS: This episode called “Kingdom of Animals”. Me and Jong Kook (nicknamed “Tiger”) were the last two survivors. This doesn’t happen really often, it’s a rare event but I beat Jong Kook and emerged the solo winner – it was a great prize!
Q: Which guest stars do you wish will come on Running Man?
LKS: While there are load of other guests I would love to have on the show, I would love to have the original Running Man members (Song) Joong Ki and Lizzy (from After School) back and it would mean a lot to the other members too!
Lee Kwang Soo Fan Meeting In Singapore
Date: August 17 2013, Saturday
Time: 7pm
Duration: Approximately 2 hours
Venue: Festive Grand Theatre, Resorts World Sentosa
Ticket Price: Category 1: $198 and Category 2 $148 (Ticket charge applies)
Hi5 With Lee Kwang Soo
*All Category 1 ticket holders are entitled to Hi5 with Lee Kwang Soo
Date: August 17, 2013, Saturday
Time: 9.15pm (Immediately after Fan Meeting)
Venue: Festive Grand Theatre, Resorts World Sentosa
Ticket sale at SISTIC website and at all SISTIC booths. For more information, check out Faith & D Entertainment Facebook page.