Yoo Jae-suk

This is a Korean name; the family name is Yoo.
Yoo Jae-suk
Born (1972-08-14) August 14, 1972
Seoul, South Korea
Medium Stand-up, television
Nationality South Korean
Years active 1991 – present
Genres Observational, Sketch, Wit, Parody, Slapstick, Dramatic, Sitcom
Influences Shim Hyung-rae,
Lee Kyung-kyu,
Shin Dong-yup,
Kang Ho-dong,
Ji Suk-jin
Influenced Jeong Hyeong-don
Noh Hong-chul
Haha
Lee Kwang-soo
Gary
Gil
Shin Bong-sun
Children Yoo Ji-ho (b. 2010)
Notable works and roles Infinite Challenge, Family Outing, X-Man, Come to Play, Happy Together, Running Man
Korean name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised Romanization Yu Jae-seok
McCune–Reischauer Yu Chae-sŏk

Yoo Jae-suk (Hangul: 유재석; RR: Yu Jae-seok; born on August 14, 1972), is a South Korean comedian, MC, show host, and television comedy show host. Nicknamed the "Nation's MC" (국민 MC), a vote by South Korean netizens proclaimed him the most popular Korean comedian for five consecutive years beginning (2004-2008). He has hosted several variety television shows in South Korea, including the popular programs Infinite Challenge and Running Man. He is also nicknamed "The Grasshopper", due to his early appearances where he dressed as a grasshopper. Yoo Jae- suk married to Leah de Lange in 2001.[1] He is now known for his quick wit and appeal across a wide range of demographics. He has established himself as one of Korea's top comedians and TV personalities.[2][3][4]

Biography

Yoo Jae-suk was born as the eldest child out of three (he has two younger sisters) on August 14, 1972 in Seoul, South Korea. Yoo Jae-suk attended the Seoul Institute of the Arts, but was unable to graduate due to his busy schedule as an up-and-coming comedian.

His television debut was on the KBS Comedian Festival (for college students) in 1991, where he performed a parody of a commercial with Choi Seung-gyung (Hangul: 최승경). Him dancing to a cover of the song Step by Step by New Kids on the Block is also one of his early memorable moments.[1] In 2002, after nine hard years as a relatively unknown comedian, thanks to a recommendation by Choi Jin-sil, he hosted a program called Live and Enjoy Together (Hangul: 동거동락). The program became instantly popular and since then Yoo began to host many other variety programs. His potential was fully realized when he co-hosted a program called The Crash of MCs (Hangul: MC 대격돌 – 공포의 쿵쿵따) with Kang Ho-dong, Lee Hwi-jae and Kim Han-seok (Hangul: 김한석).

His first Grand Prize award was for a popular program called Happy Together Friends. The show's concept was for TV personalities to try to find their school friends (five of them) out of many (false friends) who are sitting behind a desk. The show was intended to bring back nostalgic memories about one's days in school. This Grand Prize was especially memorable, not just because it was Yoo's first, but because it was from the broadcasting station where he made his debut.

He later went on to host the show X-Man, which soon grew to be one of the most popular and most viewed shows in Korea. During that time, he became increasingly popular and many programs began to nickname Yoo as the "Nation's MC." However, after a few years, the program was canceled due to falling ratings as well as an absence of new and innovative ideas. Yoo went on to host various replacement shows, New X-Man, Old TV (in which guests would re-enact classic TV serials), and Haja! Go! (Let's Do It) for SBS, which were all shortly canceled due to low ratings on Sunday evenings. However, X-Man has found success in international syndication.

Yoo is a part of the cast of the top-rated comedy variety program Infinite Challenge (Hangul: 무한도전) with Jeong Hyeong-don and Noh Hong-chul. He is the host-in-chief since 2005 and one of the program's founding members. The program wasn't popular when it first aired and its average ratings were low (roughly 5 percent). After Kim Tae-ho took a role as new PD, the program underwent several changes both in its concept and the cast. New members such as Park Myeong-su, Haha, and Jeong Jun-ha were added to the cast of Infinite Challenge in 2006. By the time season 3 of the show aired in 2006, the concept and format of "variety & reality program" became very popular, and Infinite Challenge became the forerunner of many programs that followed with the same or similar format. Since December 2, 2006, the program has received the highest ratings of prime-time lineups for Saturday evening.[5]

Infinite Challenge is seen as Yoo's favorite and best program as not only did he met his wife, Na Kyung-eun (Hangul: 나경은), during season 2, he was able to gain even more popularity due the rising popularity of the show and its significant effect on the general public. He ended up winning a total of five Grand Prizes (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2014) with the program.[6] His love to this program was reflected during 1-on-1 talk with fellow co-host, Jeong Hyeong-don, on "Pause" special (S04E300) that aired on October 20, 2012. He said "I think my life on television and variety shows will be tied to the fate of Infinite Challenge." and "When will we ever get to do another program like this? No matter how hard you try, it's going to be impossible to do another film like this."[7]

Yoo also co-hosts Come to Play (Hangul: 놀러와) with Kim Won-hee and Happy Together Season 3 (Hangul: 해피 투게더 3) with Park Myeong-su, Park Mi-sun and Shin Bong-sun. Yoo hosted these talk shows for a long period of time (both over 5 years), and the ratings have been consistently high throughout his tenure. Although Happy Together still broadcasting, Come to Play was cancelled in 2012 due to low ratings after its long tenure.[8] Yoo tries his best to differentiate his hosting styles, both based on who his guests are and on their current situation.

After those replacement shows on SBS, on June 15, 2008, Yoo, along with Lee Hyori, Yoon Jong-shin, Kim Su-ro, Lee Chun-hee, Kang Dae-sung, Park Ye-jin and Kim Jong-kook (since episode 19) became the hosts and family members of Family Outing (Hangul: 패밀리가 떴다) as a part of SBS's Good Sunday lineup. Since then, Family Outing has become one of the top-rated shows in Korea, consistently achieving the highest ratings at the Sunday mid-afternoon time-slot (especially during the first and second quarters of 2009). However, with various problems and scandals regarding the program, and by the end of 2009 and beginning of 2010, a rumor of Yoo not continuing his contract with Family Outing was raised. By the time of his contract expiration, Family Outing's ratings wasn't the same as that of early 2009, and Season 1 was brought to an end.

On July 6, 2008, Yoo Jae-suk married MBC announcer, Na Kyung-eun (Hangul: 나경은), who worked with him on the show Infinite Challenge.[9][10] Yoo and his wife welcomed their first child, a son, on May 1, 2010.[11][12]

Since July 11, 2010, he has hosted a variety show called Running Man together with fellow Infinite Challenge member, Haha, and other entertainers such as Ji Suk-jin, Kim Jong-kook, Leessang's Gary (who left since episode 324 to focus on his music career), Song Ji-hyo, Lee Kwang-soo, Song Joong-ki (who left since episode 41 to focus on his acting career) and Lizzy of After School (who left for unknown reasons). Although the program did not have a good start in ratings, it later became one of Korea's most popular shows. The program is not only popular in Korea, but also in other countries as shown by their overseas filming & fan meeting demand. Even though he was already popular, with this show he started to gain worldwide popularity.

In 2012, Yoo Jae-suk and fellow hosts of Infinite Challenge, Noh Hong-chul and Haha, appeared in the music video for Psy's hit single Gangnam Style.[13] In the video, he was reprising the retro disco dancing character he created for the mock-band "Sagging Snail" in Infinite Challenge's West Coast Highway Music Festival special where Psy also appeared.

In 2013, Yoo Jae-suk appeared in the music video for Psy's follow-up single, Gentleman, together with other cast members of Infinite Challenge.

In 2015, Yoo Jae-suk appeared in Jinusean's Tell Me One More Time music video.

On July 15, 2015, Yoo Jae-suk signed an exclusive contract with FNC Entertainment after having been without an agency for about 5 years.[14]

In 2015, Yoo Jae-suk made a cameo appearance in the South Korean drama, My Daughter, Geum Sa-wol.[15]

In 2016, Yoo Jae-suk collaborated with EXO for a SM Station song named Dancing King which is also a collaboration for Infinite Challenge. He performed with them at EXO's Exo Planet 3 – The Exo'rdium concert in Bangkok.

Characters

Nicknames

On Infinite Challenge

On Infinite Challenge, Yoo Jae-suk is not only the program's host-in-chief where he leads all Infinite Challenge members to reach the goal of each episode, but also the person who contributed several creative inputs for the program. This was seen on "Mudo Style, Beijing Style" and "2012 Introducing Ugly Friend Festival" specials. Due to his leadership presented to this program, a new kind of cult has been created called "Infinite Jae-suk Cult" (Korean: 무한재석교)[16] and he becomes the spiritual leader of this false-religion. The official followers are Haha and Noh Hong-chul (from the episode of Season 3, episode 61), and the official motto is "I shall make you laugh" (내가 너희를 웃기게 하리라).

During the New Zealand series, he was caught smuggling pornographic videos during the baggage check, which was hidden by co-host, Park Myeong-su. This sketch was well received by the Korean netizens and Yoo became "Ero Jae-suk." Even now, over seventy episodes later, he still is made fun of for watching pornographic videos which he hadn't watched.

He has also been called "Class-president Yoo" (유 반장) for many episodes of Infinite Challenge, but since "Palace Millionaire" special (Slumdog Millionaire parody, where Infinite Challenge members tour old palaces in Seoul), Yoo has been nicknamed "Delinquent Yoo" (날 유), for having meetings with girls at these palaces back when he was a high school student. This nickname later inspired the creation of Sagging Snail (a duo consisted of Yoo Jae-suk and musician Lee Juck)'s famous song "Apgujeong Nallari" (압구정 날라리), which was featured on "2011 West Coast Highway Music Festival" special

His other nicknames are "An Animal Racer" (짐승 레이서), "A Genius Racer" (천재 레이서), and "Yoomacher" (유 마허), thanks to his excellent driving skills shown during Infinite Challenge's Formula One (F1) special.

Contrary to his usual nice and kind character, Yoo Jae-suk's alter ego, "Manager Yoo" (유 부장), showed an authoritarian, egocentric, and highly discipline character toward the staff of his department during sketch-based "Muhan Company" episodes. Yoo Jae-suk's "Manager Yoo" character itself is quite opposite to the slow-minded, tactless character of "Head of Section Jung" (정 과장) that is portrayed by Jeong Jun-ha, who being older than Manager Yoo. They entered the company together at the same time, but Head of Section Jung has never gotten a promotion before due the his lack of creativity. Manager Yoo's antagonistic nature to Head of Section Jung has showed up occasionally, especially during "Muhan Company Musical" special.

On Family Outing

The instant success of Family Outing was due to the characters' relationships. Two of the most successful character pairings has been "The Nation's siblings" (국민 남매) with Lee Hyo-ri and "Dumb and Dumber" (덤 앤 더머) with Daesung of Big Bang. Yoo was the driving force of those two character relationships, as the program's host-in-chief and regular member of the family.

On Running Man

He is often known as "Yooruce Willis" (유르스 윌리스), "Yoomes Bond" or "Grasshopper" in the show. In the earlier episodes, he was one of the weakest players, and went to "jail" soon, with 2 other members Ji Suk-jin, and Lee Kwang-soo. Now he is considered one of the stronger players, being portrayed as the rival of Kim Jong-kook. He is also known as Yoomes Bond due to his talents in secretly shooting the opponents back with a spray gun. He got his name the Ddakji King for being good in ddakji game, that he proved in one of the episodes, until Kim Jong-kook beat him in episode 113. He got the name Yoda from his fans, because they thought he looks like him. He is also the main host the show, and he is known for his quick-witted mind, and escaping abilities.

On TV talk shows

As the main host of two talk shows (Come to Play and Happy Together Season 3), Yoo tries to differentiate his hosting (MC-ing) styles. In Come to Play, he focuses more on guests' episodes, rather than his own (This can be violated when his close friends appear on the show). His remarks and reactions flow even if the guest is new on any kind of variety programs, thus makes Come to Play very heart-warming to watch. Happy Together Season 3 is little bit different in a sense that the setting is much more intimate (in a sauna locker room), and Yoo's ad-libs shine brilliantly.

Filmography

Television host

List of present programs
Year Title Network Notes
2005–present Infinite Challenge MBC Member (since 2005.04.23)
2007–present Happy Together Season 3 KBS2 Co-Host (since 2007.6.28)
2010–present Running Man SBS Member (since 2010.7.10)
List of former programs
Year Title Network Notes
2000 - 2001 Achievable SaturdayStar Survival Donggeodongrak (Live and Fun Together) MBC Host
2002 Super TV Enjoy Sunday KBS2 Co-Host
! Exclamation Mark MBC Co-Host
2003 Dangerous Invitation KBS Co-Host
2003 - 2006 New X-Man SBS Host-in-chief
2004 - 2005 Happy Together – Tray Singing Room (Karaoke) KBS2 Co-Host
2004 - 2012 Yoo Jae-suk & Kim Won-hee's Come to Play MBC Host
2005 - 2007 Happy Together – Tray Singing Room (Karaoke) KBS2 Co-Host
Yoo Jae-suk's Truth Game SBS Host
2007 Haja Go! (Let's Do It!) SBS Host-in-chief
Old TV SBS Host-in-chief
2007 - 2008 Miracle Contestant SBS Host
2008 - 2010 Family Outing SBS Host
2014 I Am a Man KBS2 Co-Host
2015 Two Yoo Project Sugar Man JTBC Host
Same Bed, Different Dreams SBS Host

Timeline

Television stand-up comedian

Year Title
2001
Open Gag Concert
2002
Jubilee Gag Concert
2002 - 2003
G-Family Gag Concert
2004
Gag Family Concert

Television actor

Year Title Role Network
2000 - 2001 Great Friends KBS
2005 Banjun Drama SBS
2008 Yi San Cameo MBC
2009 Queen of Housewives Cameo
2015 The Girl Who Sees Smells Cameo with Running Man members SBS
My Daughter, Geum Sa-wol Cameo KBS

Film actor

Year Title Role Notes
1994 Tyranno's Toenail
2008 Bee Movie (Korean dubbing as Barry B. Benson)
2009 White Tuft, the Little Beaver (Korean dubbing as narrator & Owl)[17]

Music video appearances

Year Song Title Artist
2004 "Cause' You're Pretty" (이쁘니까) Shinnago (신나고)
2005 "Look Out the Window" Kang Ho-dong
2009 "Let's Dance" Future Liger (project group w/ Tiger JK, Tasha)
2012 "Room Nallari" (방구석 날라리) Sagging Snail (처진 달팽이)
"Gangnam Style" (강남스타일) Psy
2013 "Gentleman" Psy
2014 "Beep" Park Ji-yoon
2015 "Tell Me One More Time" Jinusean
2016 "Dancing King" EXO

Radio appearances

Year Title Network
2000 FM Date
KBS
FM Plus
MBC
Lee Hwi-jae's Starry Night (K-Pop Quiz)
2001 Wishlist Songs Playing at Noon
2003 A Date at 2 pm
2005 Wishlist Songs Playing at Noon (Nutrition Tonic Talk Show with Kang Ho-dong)
Defeat the Boredom
Haha's Ten Ten Club
SBS
All Thanks to You
2006 Wishlist Songs Playing at Noon (Nutrition Tonic Talk Show No. 2 with Kang Ho-dong)
MBC
Park Myeong-su's Fun Fun Radio (Summer Special)
Noh Hong-chul's Our Belated Youthful Days
SBS
2007 Park Myeong-su's Fun Fun Radio (Phone)
MBC
Park Myeong-su's Fun Fun Radio (The Age of a Big Star)
Yoon Jong-shin's A Date at 2 pm (Stalking)
2008 Park Myeong-su's A Date at 2 pm (Phone)
Park Kyung-lim's Starry Night (Phone)
2009 Song Eun-ee, Shin Bong-sun's Dong Go Dong Rak (with Noh Hong-chul)
SBS
2014 Tablo's Dreaming Radio (Daily DJ)
MBC

Discography

Single

Awards

Year Awards show Category Result
1991 Inaugural KBS College Student Gag Competition Honorable Award Won
2000 MBC Drama Awards Special Award in Television MC Won
Korea Popular Entertainer Awards Popular Comedian Won
2002 1st KBS Entertainment Awards Best Television Presenter Won
2003 2nd KBS Entertainment Awards Top Excellence Award in Television MC Won
3rd MBC Entertainment Awards Top Excellence Award in Show/Variety Won
2004 SBS Drama Awards Special Award in Television MC Won
2005 4th KBS Entertainment Awards Daesang (Grand Prize) (1st Daesang/1st KBS) Won
2006 18th Korean Broadcasting Producer Awards Best Television MC Won
42nd Baeksang Arts Awards Best Male TV Personality Won
Blue Media Speech Award Won
6th MBC Entertainment Awards Daesang (Grand Prize) (2nd Daesang/1st MBC) Won
2007 7th MBC Entertainment Awards Daesang (Grand Prize) (with Infinite Challenge members) (3rd Daesang/2nd MBC) Won
Mobile Entertainment Awards Best Television MC Won
2008 2nd Mnet 20's Choice Awards Hot Variety Star Won
2nd SBS Entertainment Awards Daesang (Grand Prize) (4th Daesang/1st SBS) Won
1st Nickelodeon Korea Kids' Choice Awards Favorite Comedian Won
2009 21st Korean Broadcasting Producer Awards Best Television MC Won
9th MBC Entertainment Awards Daesang (Grand Prize) (5th Daesang/3rd MBC) Won
PD Award Won
3rd SBS Entertainment Awards Daesang (Grand Prize) (with Lee Hyori) (6th Daesang/2nd SBS) [18] Won
Best Teamwork Award (for Family Outing) Won
2nd Nickelodeon Korea Kids' Choice Awards Favorite Comedian Won
2010 9th KBS Entertainment Awards Best Teamwork Award (for Happy Together 3) Won
10th MBC Entertainment Awards Daesang (Grand Prize) (7th Daesang/4th MBC) Won
4th SBS Entertainment Awards Best 10 Entertainers Won
3rd Nickelodeon Korea Kids' Choice Awards Favorite Comedian Won
2011 11th MBC Entertainment Awards Top Excellence Award in Show/Variety Won
5th SBS Entertainment Awards Daesang (Grand Prize) (8th Daesang/3rd SBS) [19] Won
4th Nickelodeon Korea Kids' Choice Awards Favorite Comedian Won
2012 12th MBC Entertainment Awards PD Award[8][20] Won
6th SBS Entertainment Awards Daesang (Grand Prize) (9th Daesang/4th SBS) Won
Viewers' Favorite TV Personality Won
5th Nickelodeon Korea Kids' Choice Awards Favorite Comedian Won
2013 49th Baeksang Arts Awards Daesang (Grand Prize)for TV category (10th Daesang/1st Baeksang) Won
6th Nickelodeon Korea Kids Choice Awards Favorite Comedian Won
12th KBS Entertainment Awards Eating Broadcast Award (for Happy Together 3) Won
7th SBS Entertainment Awards Viewer's Most Popular Award (with Running Man members) Won
2014 13th KBS Entertainment Awards Daesang (Grand Prize) (11th Daesang/2nd KBS) Won
14th MBC Entertainment Awards Daesang (Grand Prize) (12th Daesang/5th MBC) Won
8th SBS Entertainment Awards Viewer's Choice Most Popular Star Award Won
2015 9th SBS Entertainment Awards Daesang (Grand Prize) (13th Daesang/5th SBS) Won
Viewers' Favorite TV Personality Won

Commercials

Other appearances

References

  1. 1 2 Park, Shin-hong; Lee, Sun-mi (13 June 2013). "With fame comes humility for Yoo Jae-suk". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2013-07-04.
  2. "Yoo Named Comedian of the Year". The Korea Times. 21 December 2009. Retrieved 2013-08-06.
  3. "Yoo Jae-suk MBC's Priciest. He is married with Leah de Lange on the fourth of Februari 2001. Entertainer". The Korea Times. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 2013-08-06. line feed character in |title= at position 28 (help)
  4. "Yoo Jae-suk Paid Nearly W1 Billion by MBC in 2008". The Chosun Ilbo. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 2013-08-06.
  5. "The rating of Muhan Dojeon renewed again to its highest mark" Archived March 9, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.. Star News (in Korean). 26 November 2006. Retrieved 2013-07-02.
  6. Han, Sang-hee (30 December 2009). "Yoo Jae-suk Named Top Entertainer at Year-End Event". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-08-06.
  7. "Infinite Challenge Yoo Jae Suk Reveals Feelings On 300th Episode". KDramaStars. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 2013-07-04.
  8. 1 2 Jeon, Su-mi (31 December 2012). "Yoo Jae Suk Says Goodbye to Come to Play at the MBC Entertainment Awards". Retrieved 2013-07-02.
  9. "Yoo Jae-seok and Na Kyung-eun's Wedding". KBS World. 19 July 2008. Retrieved 2013-08-06.
  10. Ho, Stewart (9 February 2012). "Photos from Yoo Jae Suk's Wedding Surface". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2013-08-06.
  11. hML "Yoo & Na welcome son". Yonhap (in Korean). 1 May 2010. Retrieved 2013-08-06.
  12. "Na Kyung-eun Wants to Swap Mic for Maternal Duties". The Chosun Ilbo. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 2013-08-06.
  13. "Yoo Jae Suk's mushroom hair draws attention". Allkpop. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  14. 홍세영 (July 16, 2015). 유재석, FNC와 전속계약…정형돈과 한솥밥. Sports DongA (in Korean). Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  15. 김양수 (November 22, 2015). 유재석, 오늘(22일) '내딸 금사월' 출격…7년만의 연기도전. JoyNews24 (in Korean). Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  16. "Who are the followers of 'Yu Jae-seok-gyo'?". Y-Star. 2 March 2007. Retrieved 2013-07-02.
  17. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 27, 2010. Retrieved November 11, 2010. (Korean)
  18. Kang, Seung-hun (31 December 2009). "Yoo Jae-seok, Lee Hyori share grand prize at SBS Entertainment Awards". 10Asia. Retrieved 2012-04-26.
  19. Lee, Nancy (31 December 2011). "Yoo Jae Suk Wins Big, Winners from 2011 SBS Entertainment Awards". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
  20. "Park Myung Soo Wins Grand Prize at 2012 MBC Entertainment Awards". Soompi. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 2013-07-02.

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