I read the essay written by Lee Kyung-kyu, titled "A perfect joke called life." I thought, "This is the best book a comedian could write." The confidence to call it "life as a joke," and to add the adjective "perfect"! The letters vividly embedded in the grayish sky are without any excess.
On the rollercoaster of highs and lows, navigating life, Lee Kyung-kyu has survived for 45 years on a dazzling reality stage, where he often feels like he might fall into a manhole. He brightly shouts out to reveal the cowardly true nature and mischievous intentions within us, in a world where there are more jeers than laughter.
Unlike Kang Ho-dong's sports comedies, which boost tension with overflowing stamina, and Yoo Jae-seok's humble humor that eases boundaries with 'incredible kindness', Lee Kyung-kyu transparently reflects the desires and anxieties of ordinary people like us, along with our pretensions and maturity.
Experiencing laughter together as 'laughing material' without either perpetrator or victim creates a safe experience that allows us to breathe.
As the year comes to a close, it's moving when the 90-year-old Lee Soon-jae, holding a trophy, says, "I've troubled you all a lot up to now," but when Lee Kyung-kyu, who received a contribution award for entertainment, boldly says, "Why leave when you're being applauded?", we see a bright headlight illuminating the future of old age.
How well I can get along with myself, how harshly I can push myself, and how the paths of joy and fear are not so different is revealed by Lee Kyung-kyu in his first essay, 'A perfect joke called life.'
"The panic brought by the stars, between the main character and the sub-character, the time of dogs and humans, the eternal anxiety, there's no excellence..." These short thematic reflections are concise yet profound.
"If you go this way and that way, it becomes a path and a big road... Don't be afraid, don't be scared, just give it a try. Looking back, I lived quite happily." - From 'A perfect joke called life.'
I met Lee Kyung-kyu, a surprisingly introspective comedian and pioneer of public entertainment.
On the day I was going, the film company office was cold due to a broken heating system, but the dog Jackie, who seems to be named after Jackie Chan, kept the office warm by wagging its tail for three hours.
-"A perfect joke called life"... The title is really nice. I liked the occasional humor and the contemplative narrative seen from afar. The sentences are just right.
"Haha. The title came to me right away. Being in this profession, I thought it would be good to have 'joke' in it... Also, I thought a book is like a hidden camera. But I think there might have been a similar title..."
-There is a novel by Park Wan-seo titled 'An old joke.' By the way, the recommendations were not written carelessly, either. 'The world of Lee Kyung-kyu, who is ordinary yet extraordinary (Lee Yoon-seok)', 'The life know-how of a realist who values assets over inheritance (Jeon Hyun-moo)', and 'The survival skill of a brilliant fisherman who knows when to pull and when to let go (Jang Si-won, PD)', among others…
"(embarrassed) They're all my underlings... Haha. But they all read the book and put thought into their writings. I'm really grateful. Lee Yoon-seok said he wrote two versions. Since he is a junior of novelist Han Kang, I suggested to him, 'Write it so that I can receive a Nobel recommendation.' (laughs)
Lee Yoon-seok, who considered himself a 'pro caregiver', confessed in the recommendations that he had never actually taken care of anyone. When they go to a barbecue place, it's Lee Kyung-kyu cooking the meat; when they get in a car, it's Lee Kyung-kyu driving; when they go fishing, it's Lee Kyung-kyu cleaning up afterward. Lee Kyung-kyu referred to Lee Yoon-seok as his 'right arm' (his left arm is his dog Doochi).
-I liked the part in the book where Kim So-wol's poem 'Parents' has the line, 'How did I come to existence and hear this story?' Sitting with my mother on a winter night and listening to old tales, I pondered the question, 'How did I come to existence?' When I became a parent, I wondered, 'Why did my daughter come to be?' It seems like I was born to pass on questions. Do we live our lives inheriting questions and passing them on?
"I think so. It's like using the landscape of our childhood as a compass. That song made from Kim So-wol's poetry was used in the movie I produced, 'National Singing Contest.' A little child sang it."
'Why did my parents give birth to me? Why do I deserve this love?... Sometimes when I look at my daughter, I feel guilty because it seems like I passed down the void... 'How did I come to existence and hear this story?'... I think this question is what made today's Lee Kyung-kyu.' - From 'A perfect joke called life.'
-'I didn't know Lee Kyung-kyu's world was so infinite... I want to walk using his footsteps as a signpost for a long time.' ... Yoo Jae-seok also wrote that in the recommendations.
"I just shot 'How Do You Play?' with Yoo Jae-seok for book promotion the other day. But it felt embarrassing to just have fun, so for the first time in a while, I filmed 'Conscience Refrigerator.' We set up cameras in a children's protection zone and waited to see if any cars would stop when the flashing lights blinked. I waited half a day from 11 a.m. until late afternoon... but not a single car stopped. They can't slide either.
Then, after a few hours, miraculously, one car finally stopped. I felt so touched for what it was. When I asked the driver why he stopped, he said he usually always stops.
-I remember that the 'disabled couple' who was the first star of 'Conscience Refrigerator' said the same thing 30 years ago. They always follow the rules.
"That's right. I am always 'the one who is filmed,' but there are people who habitually comply even when they are 'not filmed'. They say they always follow the rules. Interestingly, the disabled person who stopped at the stop line 30 years ago was also 33 years old, and this young man who stopped in front of the flashing lights is also 33 years old now. He also remembers watching the 'Conscience Refrigerator' program when he was 3 years old."
-The power of comedy is truly great.
"Right? This time, instead of a refrigerator, we chose a desired product, a 72-inch 'Conscience TV.' Yoo Jae-seok said he felt immense joy in doing this. I told him, 'Isn't this much more fun than gathering and saying nonsensical things?' When I monitor the cars passing by, it shows history, economy, culture, and public psychology all at once."
The words life, perfect, and joke are not randomly combined. Like a puzzle that is prepared at the right moment, thousands of words, rhythms, and rhymes swim in the brain and assemble into something completely new and unique. The more a person is free from fixed ideas and indulges in pleasant fantasies, the more often they experience this.
-'Hidden camera' or 'Conscience Refrigerator'... they are all names I created myself. Is there a rule for naming?
"I didn't deliberate over it. When going out to shoot, I just intuitively attach mundane terms to them. Hidden cameras exist in every country. Peeking? That has a negative connotation. It should be fun, like kids pranking. 'You're secretly filming, right? Then it's a hidden camera.' The concept of 'Conscience Refrigerator' is similar. 'If you keep your conscience in the refrigerator, it won't spoil? Then it's a 'Conscience Refrigerator!'"
Intuition is a form of pattern recognition from a neuroscientific perspective. 'After the brain suddenly disappears, it weaves together related pieces of information'... just like chess masters reflexively make their next move, Lee Kyung-kyu finds related words from a storage of humor patterns accumulated since his teenage years. Distinct ideas blend and merge into completely new and unique concepts.
-It seems like you are instinctively equipped with meta-cognition. Your sense of balance is also exceptional.
"I project myself out to look at myself like this. I have some objectivity. I constantly observe myself from the outside. But I also very much, extremely, and with all sincerity, love myself. It's like I'm the ultimate champion of self-love. It's always about Kyung-kyu and his journey. It's always about Kyung-kyu (laughs)..."
-You're a narcissist with good self-objectivity... how is that possible?
"I think it's because I left my hometown and lived. Having experienced various ups and downs, I have drifted here and there. I'm from Busan but settled down in Seoul, and my experience studying in Japan alone also helped me."
-You were at the spot partially voluntary, partially involuntary, weren't you?
"I think my position is somewhat like that. Being at the forefront of reality shows, I often drift between reality and unreality. After shouting in front of a camera for a long time, sometimes I'm confused about whether I'm genuinely angry or just pretending to be angry for laughs."
While writing the book, I realized how my emotions have flowed. I got angry to survive; I have always been quite gentle. I was really nice when I came up from Busan.
He jokingly distinguished between the devil and the wicked devil by giving the example of Lee Deok-hwa, who also appears in 'City Fisherman.'
"Deok-hwa loves fish too much. He loves them so much that he thinks about the next fish he will catch even while holding a fish. Deok-hwa has been a devil from birth (laughs). On the other hand, because I've gone through ups and downs, I've become wicked. When catching a big fish, I think, 'Oh, how nice it would be if the camera were on now...' When the camera is off, even my desire to catch fish disappears."
He said everything, including the brain and life, is set up for cameras, being both the planner and protagonist of 'The Truman Show.'
Regardless, terms like devil or wicked devil carry no repulsion when used by Lee Kyung-kyu. It's due to the trust in him, as he has kept the ethical stopping line intact, stretched beyond the binary of good and evil, creating a twist that penetrates the truth within humor. The conversations rode the rhythm of laughter like a bumper car.
-In your book, you cited health as the first secret to longevity. First is health, second is talent, third is effort, fourth is relationships, and fifth is character.
"Those five things are very important. Health, talent, effort, relationships, and character. If you look at those who continue working until they get older, they have all five conditions. We have a job that needs to be chosen by others; if your character is bad, you won’t be used. For older individuals, it might be more burdensome, but those with good character seek to work together for a long time. Just look at Deok-hwa, who is a really nice person."
-Earlier, you referred to that as being devilish...
"Yes, a devil. A devil who loves fish too much. Yet, strangely, he is very kind. Haha."
-You have a unique relationship with your daughter. I heard you didn't ask her anything even after hearing the news that she has set a wedding date?
"I didn't ask anything. I didn’t. Would a parent give permission for marriage? That's nonsense. She is an independent entity. However, I thought it would be good for her to enter the wedding hall arm in arm with her father, because the father doesn't have much to do at the wedding. Mothers usually share the light. So I played the role of an assistant holding her wedding dress."
-Do you feel different from others?
"If one puts it negatively, it's being weird; positively, it's being pure; and if one puts it in literary terms, it's being eccentric. I keep learning and growing while doing various programs."
-There are comedians who are good at satire, but entertainers, in general, are quick on the social uptake, it seems.
"Actors have roles, right? In my comedy, there are no distinct roles. I just act as myself. What does the person I am do while raising a dog? How does the person I am act while fishing?... If I go back and forth between reality and TV like that, sometimes I wonder if I am a multi-faceted person."
He said he can't fully reveal or completely hide his inner self, leading to subtly distorted aspects.
-It seems that Japanese comedian and director Takeshi Kitano is a similar case. Despite being funny, he always wears a cynical expression.
"I have read all of Takeshi Kitano's books. Japanese people are really amazing. Kitano is a married man, but he detailed an episode of having a motorcycle accident while visiting his lover in his book. In Korean sentiment, that's a huge issue."
-Japanese people tend to expose their embarrassing bottom lines. Just look at a work like 'No Longer Human'; they throw themselves into extreme situations. Isn't there something similar in entertainment?
"That's exactly an extreme job."
-What does it feel like to maintain the top position along with Yoo Jae-seok, Kang Ho-dong, and Shin Dong-yeob for decades?
"We are experiencing extreme times together. When I think about it, I'm ten years older than Yoo Jae-seok and Kang Ho-dong. I didn't realize it much when I was younger, but it turns out there is a generational gap between us."
-Do you feel lonely because you have no friends in the industry?
"Having friends is like keeping enemies close. It's hard to have friends. I guess it's the same for singers and actors. I prefer good senior-junior relationships."
-You once said that you live based on talent rather than class?
"Yes. I really dislike hierarchy. If you have the talent to make people laugh, that’s what matters; age and class don’t really matter. The one who does it best is first."
-Do you constantly think about competition?
"I've lived in competition. Even if I'm laughing, it's intense. I feel tension in every moment, I feel shame about my situation, and I realize I’m not simply happy… It’s like that. It’s something I can’t say out loud, so I reveal it through my writing."
-Isn't it easier to leave when people are applauding?
"It’s not like that. Senior Na Hoon-a marked his retirement. A singer needs to maintain both stamina and voice to perform on stage. But for us, it's okay. I thought to myself that later, I could do broadcasts while lying in a hospital bed."
-Is it a reality show set in a nursing home?
"That's right. If I end up in the hospital due to some illness, I might say, 'Yesterday, I took this medication, and the doctor told me this...' Even as death approaches, I could still say, 'If I can talk while smiling, I can broadcast while lying down.' The other day, I participated in a show hosted by Hong Jin-kyung, where they had us broadcasting while lying down. It was called the 'lying down broadcast' concept. But for two or three hours, we had a blast."
-Lying down broadcasts... the more I think about it, the more doors open.
"As platforms keep emerging, the stage becomes broader. As we enter an aging society, markets are not dying; rather, they continue to thrive. I feel a bit apologetic towards the younger generations, but the fact that the market persists is fundamentally a good thing. We can collaborate with each other."
-It seems you're searching for an optimized model to work joyfully for a long time.
"Continuing to work for a long time is quite a challenge. I continuously research how I can go on for a long time and find new domains as I grow older. To maintain balance, I experience substantial internal conflicts that others don't see. Hence, I end up with panic disorders; even now, I manage to hold on by taking medication. Haha."
-You wrote about the moment of panic disorder, saying the overwhelming presence of the universe crushed your body. After receiving an incredible shower of stars in the open field, I felt that anxiety flew to me like a star over thousands of years.
"I still vividly remember that moment. It was when I went to Australia to shoot 'The Qualifications of a Man.' I drove endlessly towards the horizon for ten hours a day over ten days. After spending the day tense while driving, I laid down in a tent to camp, and my body completely stiffened. The staff were shocked and rubbed my body... that was the onset of panic. Now, if I don’t take medication, panic attacks hit me in three days."
Among entertainers, I was the first to publicly discuss panic disorders, and psychiatrists were grateful for it. There are many people suffering from depression and panic disorders. Some hide it until they reach the point of suicide. It’s terrifying. Ironically, I find life to be very ironic. Although my job is to make people laugh, I'm caught in a situation of tension and competition to do so...
-There are no freebies.
"I’m strict with myself. I joked on TV about how my hemoglobin A1c level was at 6.8. If it goes over 6.2, that indicates diabetes. Since then, I didn’t take medication and lowered it to 5.8 in three months through dietary control. I stopped all carbohydrates. I don't eat foods that didn't exist 100 years ago as a standard."
For breakfast, I eat two boiled eggs and carry brown rice to restaurants. I drink alcohol two to three times a month. Alcohol existed even 100 years ago (laughs). My father was bedridden for twenty years due to a stroke. Watching my mother care for him, I vowed not to live a life in need of care myself.
Sometimes I miss the days when I could indulge in cola and soju, while my hemoglobin A1c level was at 6.8. Matters of quality of life and daily satisfaction can't go together. Ultimately, health is like debt; you may borrow freely while young but will have to repay with interest as you grow older, making extreme choices similar to a 100-year-old diet seem like the safest route.
-Really, there are no freebies!
"In any case, even if a cow enters an empty house, there are no freebies. Charlie Chaplin once said that life is a comedy when viewed from afar, and a tragedy when observed up close. My profession intertwines tragedy and comedy. While I appreciate recognition, I often wonder, 'What is this person doing?' I have nothing to say... 'What am I even doing?'..."
-What am I doing...
"I keep asking myself. For example, farmers grow crops and harvest them. They genuinely know how to do something. What do I know how to do? I make programs. Then, do those contribute to society? If I can't answer that, I become nothing. Without tangible results. So someday, I want to create something worthwhile, and that's why I learned to play the harmonica. I even played 'Arirang' on harmonica, but then I realized that doesn't bring any income, nor is there a venue to perform. So I tossed it aside. That harmonica is still in my room."
-You oscillate between romance and practicality.
"That's my life. I left for Japan to study and was awarded entertainment awards for 'Hidden Camera' and 'Conscience Refrigerator' at the peak of my success in 1998, when I was 38. I thought to myself, 'I can set it down anytime and look further.' Watching Japanese comedians stay active beyond sixty has taught me to be bolder."
I studied hard while in Japan, but now when I think about studying Japanese again, I wonder, 'What would come of that?' If I became friends with a Japanese person and did business with them, I need to self-motivate to engage in anything.
-How do you perceive yourself as an adult?
"I'm an adult who's fun to hang out with. It's hard to get close to me, but once you do, I’ll make you laugh, help with calculations regarding life, and show how to live wisely with family. If someone says they got divorced, I’d say, 'That was a great decision. You look good.' I don’t pry into complex personal lives; I uplift them instead. Everyone lives their own life. There’s no 'good' or 'bad' when it comes to individual lives."
-Do you offer unsolicited advice or interfere?
"I don't. I don't feel upset if my daughter doesn't call. I'm not curious at all. I don’t ask her any personal questions either. I just ask her things like, 'What are you doing these days?' I have no interest in others. I'm only focused on myself and my work."
I think it’s essential to lead a thoroughly self-centered life. People without a self-centered perspective are afraid of being alone. If they can’t be alone, they feel lonely and end up meeting just anyone, causing trouble. Thus, rather than striving to constantly engage with others, it’s important to enjoy solitude.
-You mentioned that solitude and silence are essential for comedy?
"They are essential. Entertainment is a slippery slope at every moment. If negligence leads to causing harm or discrimination, practicing solitude is necessary to maintain focus. I often remain silent even in the green room. Ingredients need to be fresh to taste good; if I reveal amusing anecdotes beforehand, what comes out in front of the camera would be like dishes served with cold food, right? It's akin to tuning instruments before a performance with silence."
For forty years, I have never let my guard down in front of the camera, and that’s why I've never made mistakes, just as 'No controversy, no kindness' is 'an audience-facing fact.' Humans are complex and fragile and have different vulnerable points; as tension builds, loneliness deepens.
"I can't become overly good or overly bring someone down; finding that balance is incredibly challenging."
-How afraid are you of making mistakes?
"In our country, there's a prevailing sentiment of 'if you get caught, it's the end.' I've been fortunate to have made it this far. I've faced life-and-death situations several times during filming. Gradually, I’ve become cautious. Even when I drink, I only do so near my home, and I always apologize to my juniors without leaving my tail hanging if I make a mistake. There’s no need to argue."
He has referred to the people he interacts with as gentle herbivores.
-I'm curious, what kind of person becomes a Kyung-kyu line?
"What line is there? Whether it’s Yoo's line or Kyung-kyu's line, it was all just for fun. Haha. However, I pay attention to those watching, so I immediately recommend people like Kim Gu-ra and Hong Jin-kyung to the producers. I also have a bit of a soft spot for people like Kang Ho-dong and Lee Yoon-seok. Haha."
The verb 'to be cute' sounds refreshing. To 'be cute' means to prioritize the situation and demeanor of the counterpart. When one is cute, both parties tend to become generous. Lee Kyung-kyu's survival line involves not overpowering or mistreating others, but rather aligning the cuteness and wellbeing of oneself and others.
-I'm curious about your secret for staying relevant and not falling out of favor with the fickle public over the long years.
"Just observe me well. I like myself, and I throw my favorite things into my programs. If I fish, I think it’s fun, so I suggest you try it; if I enjoy golf, I suggest we enjoy that together...
In addition, if something isn't funny, I brutally tell the PD in the field that it's 'not funny.' I suggest that this way it could be better, and let's try that. Laughter is like a study; both I and the production team need to laugh for the viewers to laugh. If it feels hopeless no matter what I say, I will just stay quiet.
He remarked that people who are ignorant but have strong beliefs can be scary.
"Since I've been doing this for a long time, my instincts have sharpened. For instance, the title 'Lee Kyung-kyu Goes' is something I coined, and it expresses 'I'll keep going. Even as I age, there are always opportunities to continue.' Even though the film 'Revenger' failed, its name remains. Nowadays, when watching soccer games, the term 'revenger' is often used as if it's a idiomatic expression."
Although 'Revenge is Mine' was directed by Park Chan-wook, I prefer to say it is solely mine. Haha. The 'Masked Singer' show is similar; while the mask generally conveys a negative image, thanks to the movie 'Masked Hero', it became entertaining. Likewise, 'City Fisherman' evolved from originally being titled 'The Sea is Three Sides' and 'Dogs are Great' first started as 'Dogs Change Their Ways.' Good programs all contain good stories.
-Do you think you've become a better person through entertainment?
"Absolutely. The programs saved me. After 'Conscience Refrigerator', everyone stops at red lights automatically. After 'Dogs are Great', if a dog urinates, we make sure to pour water to dilute it in that spot. Living while 'being filmed' was really enjoyable.
I have experienced all the roller coasters worldwide while filming. From Las Vegas to Germany, I've ridden every terrifying ride. From the 1994 World Cup to the Qatar World Cup, I can't think of anyone else who has traveled to South Africa and Costa Rica as extensively as I have. I've even gone to Alaska by helicopter for fishing; I doubt there are many like me in our country.
Perhaps I lost my mind, but I recently dove into the sea at a depth of 30m in Jeju. The scuba divers assured me I'd surface quickly, but I lingered underwater for an hour. It felt like I was going to die, so I focused all my senses on the hose in my mouth. Haha. Everything that moves me is my program.
He laughed heartily, saying that he keeps becoming more dynamic as a filming human. His laughter, imbued with unease, was boisterous.
-Who is the most challenging person?
"That would be me. It’s difficult to control myself, and I fear myself the most. Why do I age?... Accepting that is difficult. My wife and dog also add a layer of complexity. They bring happiness but also cause pain. While they are the hills I can lean on, they are also entities that inconvenience me. If I had lived alone, I wouldn't have worked this hard. I would have retired early and gone fishing instead."
-At this point, please tell us your real secret to enduring for a long time.
"(After a moment of silence) I never missed a session. I've never been late to a meeting place. The staff have never waited for me. 'Where's Lee Kyung-kyu? We need to start recording,' has never happened. That's something I can take pride in."
Instead, he complained freely and sincerely. When the film 'Masked Hero' was released, he reportedly visited Geoje-do for stage greetings 120 times with actor Cha Tae-hyun.
-Why do some people get tired quickly while others do not?
"You need to enjoy it. I’ve enjoyed everything I've done. I find it exhilarating to continue working. Even now, even if I don’t have work, I dash out. I go out to search for anything and everything to keep busy. If I have nothing to do, I might even film myself. People say it's a crisis, but a crisis is an opportunity. The abundance of platforms has increased. Competition within that is opportunity as well. Like tug-of-war at a sports day, compete for fun naturally."
To avoid exhaustion, hobbies are essential. Hobbies bring delight to life, whether it’s going fishing or cheering for the Premier League. If you dedicate your life to it, everyday life becomes joyful. Not hobbies like gambling or distractions, but constructive hobbies that can stabilize daily routines. If you have a favorite sport, it motivates you to work harder. If you have a favorite sports team, you won’t fall into despair.
Lee Kyung-kyu understands from the start of his career that life doesn't always go as planned. With no resentment towards an unpredictable life, he encourages everyone to complain freely and move actively. It also took time for mockery to become humor. The film company he named 'In & Pictor' has seen his filmography accumulate, transforming its meaning from 'people' to 'endurance.' He laughed, continuing to joke and take medication for his panic disorders today.
-Finally, as a seasoned comedian, could you share your advice on how to live happily?
"I suggest living for great happiness rather than small joys. Don’t search for happiness in minor things; seek it in grander pursuits. The lunch your mother packed is happiness, but the very fact that your mother exists is a greater joy. Earning money and achieving success is enjoyable, but having this profession brings more happiness. Don't chase small joys at the expense of great happiness. Life doesn't go as intended anyway. Don’t be jealous when your cousin buys land; instead, enjoy silence and solitude."
'We all exist for each other. Even if it's a paid job, ultimately, it's work for each other... It's fine to rush toward money. Be candid. The problem is not working. Work is life.' - From 'A perfect joke called life.'