Every night at the KBS building open studio in Yeouido Seoul, the place becomes an exhibition hall of various races in the world. The path that leads from the building entrance to the radio booth is crowded with hundreds of fans from all over the world. It is an actual tourist attraction for foreign tourists and fan meetings take place there every night. This is a scene from a live broadcast of KBS 2FM(89.1Mhz) Super Junior's Kiss the Radio.
On August 21, it will have been 5 years since Leeteuk and Eunhyuk have been holding down the radio booth as DJs. It is hard to receive a perfect attendance award than to receive a honorary award. A radio DJ requires diligence. One also requires quick thinking and patience to communicate with listeners for 2 hours every day. That is the reason why radio departments avoid hiring members of idol group as DJs who have busy schedule and whose popularity is short lived. They endured 5 years among prejudices and worries. They have maintained their number one position in radio program rating for the same time slot and they have become the pride of the production staff.
Leeteuk requested an interview for the 5th year anniversary during a live broadcast of his program. To comply with his request, Sports Chosun went to Kiss the Radio's DJ booth.
I congratulate you early on your 5th year anniversary. Do you remember your first show?
Eunhyuk= I remember it clearly. I even remember what clothes that I wore that day. I guess the PD was nervous so we pre-recorded the first show. Every moment was amazing and nerve wracking. After it ended, I was exhausted.
Leeteuk= After starting the program, we thought we should discipline ourselves harshly for a week. So we chose guests that were difficult to handle.
Who were the guests?
Leeteuk= The guests were people who usually answer curtly or say something that's totally different... Yang Dong Geun and SG Wannabe sunbaenims are some of the guests that were memorable.
You have a special love for radio DJs.
Leeteuk= Since I was in elementary school, I grew up listening to radio programs such as Raise the volume and Starry Starry Night. I thought I would definitely want to be a radio DJ when I become a celebrity. But I didn't know I would do it for this long. I thought I would be lucky if I could do it for 2 or 3 years. As I was doing it, I think my desire grew bigger. I hope someone can dream by listening to my voice.
Eunhyuk= To the contrary, I never listened to the radio before becoming a DJ. I'm someone who discovered the charm of radio later on. At first, I thought the role of a DJ was to just laugh and talk. But now I know it's different. You have to know a lot about music and you have to be considerate toward the guests. I'm learning how difficult it is to communicate with listeners.
Many fans come to the studio for each live broadcast.
Leeteuk= In the beginning, mostly Korean fans came. As K-pop became popular, more fans from China, Japan and Southeast Asia came to the studio. Recently, there are a lot of fans from Europe or South America. I heard that the open studio has become a tourist attraction.
Eunhyuk= Sometimes, we use our own money to buy them snacks. We gave the fans ice cream yesterday. I heard that fans overseas who can't come to the open studio read translations to the program. I feel the responsibility of promoting Korean culture. I hope one day, we get to do a live broadcast overseas.
Was there any accidents during a broadcast ?
Leeteuk= Phone calls with listeners make me most nervous. On April fool's day, I was telling a listener's story about how she pranked her teacher and the story was explicit that I was sweating.
Eunhyuk= I was introducing an American pop song and I was humiliated because of my pronunciation. I introduced Anthem as Ahndam and I read "Party in the U.S.A." as "Party in the yooza" that I was made fun of for a while.
Is there any difficulty in meeting listeners every day?
Eunhyuk= Because I am a person too, it was difficult to pretend that I was happy in the booth even when I was going through a difficult time or was unhappy. Now, even if something bad happens in my personal life, I try to get good energy by hosting the radio program.
Leeteuk= The radio booth has become almost as comfortable as my house. Hosting is fun.
Did you face any crisis?
Leeteuk= April 19, 2007. When the members and I were driving somewhere, a car accident occurred. I was seriously injured. I had to leave my position as a radio DJ for exactly 33 days. When I was listening to the program in my hospital bed, I realized how important my job was as a DJ.
Eunhyuk= I missed Teukie hyung. When we finish a live broadcast, we say goodbye to the staff in front of the stairs. That day, we were in a hurry that we didn't say goodbye to them. Then the accident occurred. It was kind of a jinx. After that day, we say goodbye no matter what.
What do you think is the appeal of radio?
Leeteuk= TV is one way. Radio is two way. I think that's why more lonely or tired people listen to the radio than happy people. I think radio is like a refuge where it can listen to someone's story and console people.
You will celebrate your 5th year anniversary on August 21. Do you have any plans that day?
Leeteuk= I don't know if we can do a live broadcast because of our fifth album promotion. If it's possible, we want to randomly invite guests. Like saying, "celebrities who are listening to the radio right now, please come to the studio." We especially welcome girl groups. Haha.
Is there a guest that you want to invite?
Eunhyuk= Han Gain. I really like her. Please appear on the program. Haha.
Leeteuk= I think it will be fun if we invite the DJs of other radio programs from the same time slot. Jung Yup sunbaenim, Younha, and Lee Suk Hoon, you are reading this, right?
Lastly, is there anything else you would like to add?
Eunhyuk= I hope it remains as a program that communicates heart to heart. I hope it remains as a program that always gives people strength.
Leeteuk=(Pointing to the Golden Mouth which is given to DJs who host radio programs for 10 years) I really want to do this for 10 years. Even though I have to enter the army, after I am discharged from the army, I want to come back to Kiss the Radio.
On August 21, it will have been 5 years since Leeteuk and Eunhyuk have been holding down the radio booth as DJs. It is hard to receive a perfect attendance award than to receive a honorary award. A radio DJ requires diligence. One also requires quick thinking and patience to communicate with listeners for 2 hours every day. That is the reason why radio departments avoid hiring members of idol group as DJs who have busy schedule and whose popularity is short lived. They endured 5 years among prejudices and worries. They have maintained their number one position in radio program rating for the same time slot and they have become the pride of the production staff.
Leeteuk requested an interview for the 5th year anniversary during a live broadcast of his program. To comply with his request, Sports Chosun went to Kiss the Radio's DJ booth.
I congratulate you early on your 5th year anniversary. Do you remember your first show?
Eunhyuk= I remember it clearly. I even remember what clothes that I wore that day. I guess the PD was nervous so we pre-recorded the first show. Every moment was amazing and nerve wracking. After it ended, I was exhausted.
Leeteuk= After starting the program, we thought we should discipline ourselves harshly for a week. So we chose guests that were difficult to handle.
Who were the guests?
Leeteuk= The guests were people who usually answer curtly or say something that's totally different... Yang Dong Geun and SG Wannabe sunbaenims are some of the guests that were memorable.
You have a special love for radio DJs.
Leeteuk= Since I was in elementary school, I grew up listening to radio programs such as Raise the volume and Starry Starry Night. I thought I would definitely want to be a radio DJ when I become a celebrity. But I didn't know I would do it for this long. I thought I would be lucky if I could do it for 2 or 3 years. As I was doing it, I think my desire grew bigger. I hope someone can dream by listening to my voice.
Eunhyuk= To the contrary, I never listened to the radio before becoming a DJ. I'm someone who discovered the charm of radio later on. At first, I thought the role of a DJ was to just laugh and talk. But now I know it's different. You have to know a lot about music and you have to be considerate toward the guests. I'm learning how difficult it is to communicate with listeners.
Many fans come to the studio for each live broadcast.
Leeteuk= In the beginning, mostly Korean fans came. As K-pop became popular, more fans from China, Japan and Southeast Asia came to the studio. Recently, there are a lot of fans from Europe or South America. I heard that the open studio has become a tourist attraction.
Eunhyuk= Sometimes, we use our own money to buy them snacks. We gave the fans ice cream yesterday. I heard that fans overseas who can't come to the open studio read translations to the program. I feel the responsibility of promoting Korean culture. I hope one day, we get to do a live broadcast overseas.
Was there any accidents during a broadcast ?
Leeteuk= Phone calls with listeners make me most nervous. On April fool's day, I was telling a listener's story about how she pranked her teacher and the story was explicit that I was sweating.
Eunhyuk= I was introducing an American pop song and I was humiliated because of my pronunciation. I introduced Anthem as Ahndam and I read "Party in the U.S.A." as "Party in the yooza" that I was made fun of for a while.
Is there any difficulty in meeting listeners every day?
Eunhyuk= Because I am a person too, it was difficult to pretend that I was happy in the booth even when I was going through a difficult time or was unhappy. Now, even if something bad happens in my personal life, I try to get good energy by hosting the radio program.
Leeteuk= The radio booth has become almost as comfortable as my house. Hosting is fun.
Did you face any crisis?
Leeteuk= April 19, 2007. When the members and I were driving somewhere, a car accident occurred. I was seriously injured. I had to leave my position as a radio DJ for exactly 33 days. When I was listening to the program in my hospital bed, I realized how important my job was as a DJ.
Eunhyuk= I missed Teukie hyung. When we finish a live broadcast, we say goodbye to the staff in front of the stairs. That day, we were in a hurry that we didn't say goodbye to them. Then the accident occurred. It was kind of a jinx. After that day, we say goodbye no matter what.
What do you think is the appeal of radio?
Leeteuk= TV is one way. Radio is two way. I think that's why more lonely or tired people listen to the radio than happy people. I think radio is like a refuge where it can listen to someone's story and console people.
You will celebrate your 5th year anniversary on August 21. Do you have any plans that day?
Leeteuk= I don't know if we can do a live broadcast because of our fifth album promotion. If it's possible, we want to randomly invite guests. Like saying, "celebrities who are listening to the radio right now, please come to the studio." We especially welcome girl groups. Haha.
Is there a guest that you want to invite?
Eunhyuk= Han Gain. I really like her. Please appear on the program. Haha.
Leeteuk= I think it will be fun if we invite the DJs of other radio programs from the same time slot. Jung Yup sunbaenim, Younha, and Lee Suk Hoon, you are reading this, right?
Lastly, is there anything else you would like to add?
Eunhyuk= I hope it remains as a program that communicates heart to heart. I hope it remains as a program that always gives people strength.
Leeteuk=(Pointing to the Golden Mouth which is given to DJs who host radio programs for 10 years) I really want to do this for 10 years. Even though I have to enter the army, after I am discharged from the army, I want to come back to Kiss the Radio.
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