Kim Ho-young, with 5,000 contacts… showing strength on stage for 24 years
Kim Ho-young showcased his variety show sense, featuring 5,000 contacts and his 24 years of experience as a musical actor, on ‘Baekban Gihaeng’.
Musical actor Kim Ho-young left a scene in 'Huh Young-man's Food Travel' that was even more striking than the figure of 5,000 contacts. In the 352nd episode, titled 'Pull it up~ High-tension Kim Ho-young's Stage of Taste,' which aired on the 14th, he visited restaurants in Seoul with Huh Young-man, showcasing his characteristic rapid wit and his ability to draw people in.
The buzz of the broadcast began with his confession that he has over 5,000 contacts saved on his mobile phone. As he mentioned friendships ranging from mainstream stars like Kim Hee-sun and Uhm Jung-hwa to actress Park Jeong-ja, who is 41 years his senior, he was once again dubbed the 'King of Networking.' However, if this scene is consumed merely as a boast about numbers, Kim Ho-young's true strength is obscured. The core of this episode was his sense of quickly matching the temperature with strangers and instantly turning the words thrown by others into a scene.
Impromptu Response Greater Than 5,000 Contacts
When Huh Young-man said, "I want to see how home shopping is done," Kim Ho-young did not hesitate and performed a role-play of selling tonkatsu. The high energy and rapid reactions, which were also emphasized in the preview video, created a rhythm within the calm format of a restaurant tour. At Seoul Central Market, greetings from citizens who recognized Huh Young-man followed, and Kim Ho-young managed the atmosphere alongside him, continuing the scene like an impromptu fan signing event.
Such movements are difficult to explain solely by the 'tension' commonly referred to in variety shows. Kim Ho-young debuted in the 2002 musical 'Rent,' and his history in professional performance databases includes various works such as 'Rent,' 'Kinky Boots,' 'Man of La Mancha,' and 'Aida.' In particular, the role of Angel in 'Rent' is a part that has been called alongside his name for over 20 years. The time he spent reading the audience's breath on stage worked exactly the same way in the impromptu situations of the broadcast.
The Actor's Starting Point Becomes Clearer in Variety Shows
Kim Ho-young has expanded his scope of activities to variety shows, home shopping, and YouTube, but the reason his words and gestures gain persuasiveness is ultimately connected to the fundamentals he has built as an actor. Projecting one's voice loudly is different from bringing a scene to life. In this episode of 'Food Travel,' rather than making the atmosphere of the episode stand out alone, Kim Ho-young introduced food, responded to Huh Young-man's questions, and connected the reactions of the market people, drawing them into the flow.
Therefore, the 5,000 contacts are closer to a result. It is simply the number representing the relationships he has built while standing on stage for a long time, meeting people, and expanding his stage through broadcasting and home shopping. This is also where the next point of interest lies. Rather than which variety show Kim Ho-young will appear in next, it has become more important to see how naturally the stage sense of actor Kim Ho-young comes alive within new programs and new characters.
