[Sportschosun, Reporter Lee Ji-hyun] Shin Jung-hwan reunited with Tak Jae-hoon as the complete Country Kkokko duo for the first time in a long while, showcasing their longstanding loyalty.
On the 15th, the YouTube channel Human Story released a video titled “Shin Jung-hwan and Tak Jae-hoon’s Human Story [Country Kkokko].”
The video showed Shin Jung-hwan’s current life as he runs a dak-galbi restaurant near Gunja Station in Seoul. He personally moved around the dining area, handling everything from serving and taking orders to guiding customers to parking spaces.
Tak Jae-hoon, who has maintained a longstanding relationship with Shin Jung-hwan, appeared at the restaurant that day with comedian Shin Kyu-jin. The two former Country Kkokko members had gathered in one place.
Shin Jung-hwan welcomed Tak Jae-hoon, saying, “We’ve been like older and younger brothers for more than 30 years.” He added, “Jae-hoon has always been very close to me. Today, Country Kkokko is reuniting, so we’ll show you the full duo’s chemistry.”
The two said they are still close personally, although they no longer appear or work together on television. Tak Jae-hoon explained, “It’s not that we don’t do broadcasts or activities together anymore; we’re still close in private.” He added, “We’re like athletes who are close friends but play for different teams.”
When the production staff asked Tak Jae-hoon whether Shin Jung-hwan probably asked him for many favors, Shin Jung-hwan said he did not ask him for favors. Tak Jae-hoon then joked, “That would be imposing. There are limits to how much people around you can help,” drawing laughter.
Still, Shin Jung-hwan expressed his gratitude to Tak Jae-hoon for visiting the restaurant despite his busy schedule. He first joked in his characteristic manner, saying, “It’s not that this guy has no loyalty.” He later spoke sincerely: “He’s always been consistent, so I feel comfortable around him and I like that. He checks in on me from time to time, contacts me often, and genuinely helps me.”
Meanwhile, Country Kkokko debuted in 1998 and received widespread love from the public. However, the duo’s activities were suspended after Shin Jung-hwan became embroiled in controversy over alleged overseas gambling in the Philippines in 2010.
olzllovely@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
