[Sportschosun Lee Woo-joo] Kwaktube, on 'The Return of Superman,' reflected on his past and shared what he hopes for his son.
On the KBS2 variety show 'The Return of Superman,' which aired on the 10th, Kwaktube joined the cast as a new Superman.
Kwaktube, who recently became the father of newborn Osam-i, who is less than 100 days old, appeared in the studio looking nervous and said, "This place is really awkward. I can't believe I'm here." When RalRal asked whether beginner parenting was difficult, Kwaktube replied, "The baby is incredibly easy to raise. He sleeps well without much trouble. He even went to bed at 8 p.m. yesterday and woke up at 8 a.m." His answer drew surprise. Kwaktube added, "People call him a unicorn baby. Since this is my first time raising a child, I didn't know that was special," and RalRal marveled, "You really should be grateful to your son."
His son's name is Kwak Taesan. Kwaktube said, "I wanted to give him a strong and independent name. It does sound a little like a striker's name. If my son really wants to, I'll support him. If he takes after his mother. She has great athletic ability, while I'm terrible at it."
Thanks to his easygoing son, Kwaktube was able to care for him calmly, unlike many other first-time fathers. He kept talking to the baby and trying to start conversations. Kwaktube explained, "My parenting style is European laissez-faire."
Kwaktube said he hopes his son grows up to be independent. He recalled his school days, saying, "My family struggled financially from when I was young, and I had a severe appearance complex and a lot of feelings of victimization."
Kwaktube has previously revealed on several programs that he was a victim of school bullying. He said, "I thought there was nothing I could do. My perspective was so narrow, but when I went overseas, people were more open to seeing different sides of me than I expected. I hope Taesan gets to experience many things and lives with his own thoughts. I want him to become a child who wants to do many things on his own."
He also explained why he chose the name Taesan, saying, "I could have given him a softer name, but I wanted to create a strong and independent one." He added, "Honestly, I only look relaxed. Inside, I'm anxious and keep checking on him. I just want to raise him calmly, so I'm pretending to be calm. I hope Taesan won't be impatient or constantly worry about what others think, like I did. I want him to know a wider world than I did."
wjlee@sportschosun.com
