Kim Je-dong with Changed Expressions and Words: "I Will Do What I Truly Love, Making People Laugh"

New Book Contains Everyday Stories and Title Chosen by Author
"I Will Reduce Social Commentary from Now On" Declaration Made

Broadcaster Kim Jae-dong, who has made numerous statements on social and political issues, has now expressed his desire to "make people laugh." On the 13th, Kim Jae-dong held a press conference for his new book “Nae Mari Geu Mari-eyo” (My Words Are Exactly That) (Namuui Maeum) at the Francisco Education Center on Jeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul. This new book captures his daily life, which Kim described as "stories about sharing meals with my dog."

While his previous works, such as “There Are Times Like That” which sold 300,000 copies, and “If You Allow Me, I Want to Say This”, dealt with social issues, this book tells stories about eating with others, managing a household, touching moments of healing while meeting children across the country, and heartwarming moments with his companion dog Tani, whom he has been with for five years after meeting at an animal shelter.

Broadcaster Kim Je-dong is giving a greeting at the press conference for the release of his essay "That's Exactly What I Mean" held on the morning of the 13th at the Francisco Education Center in Jung-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Kim Jae-dong personally chose the book title, explaining, "It’s a phrase I often use, so I decided on it and hope everyone likes it. Doesn’t it sound nice to hear 'My words are exactly that'?" The publisher had suggested titles like "From Person to Person" and "How Have You Been These Days," but he said, "It’s a phrase I use most often with Kim Guk-jin, so I chose it. At first, people thought it was strange, but after the book came out, they said the title was good, so I pushed for it actively." He added, "Eight years ago, my focus was outward. I was thinking about how to live together with people. This time, that focus has turned inward a bit. Time has passed, and I’ve been thinking about how I want to live."

Also known as a leading figure of 'Politainer' (celebrities active with political convictions) due to his social and political remarks, he revealed that he has been involved in many controversies and suffered many wounds. Kim Jae-dong confessed, "When people meet me, some keep encouraging me, saying 'Why aren’t you on TV these days?' or 'I know, stay strong.' There were also people who just glared at me, those who cursed while eating, and at some point, I felt like I was living as if I were running in every general election."

He said, "I don’t even know what social issues are anymore. If that becomes a barrier to meeting people, I wonder if the way I’ve done things has any meaning." He added, "I want to live quietly," and "The most important thing to me now is meeting children and talking about history with people I meet at Gyeongbokgung Palace." Currently, he is conducting 'Gyeongbokgung History Outings' as a Gangdamsa (a storyteller profession from the Joseon Dynasty).

Jokingly saying, "My best skill is making people laugh," Kim Jae-dong said, "I love making people laugh, but there have been too many obstacles to doing that." He continued, "It’s the result of my actions, but if that’s the case, I want to reduce those parts and do what I truly love?making people laugh. I can’t take off all the layers that have been added on, but I want to make people laugh."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.