Shim Jin-hwa recalls early fandom for Kim Young-chul

Comedian Shim Jin-hwa said she once went along to her husband Kim Won-hyo's radio schedule because she wanted to secretly see Kim Young-chul.

On July 10, the YouTube channel Kim Young-chul Original posted a video titled 'Kim Young-chul's chaotic birthday party where it is hard to tell if the empty audio joke is mockery or praise.' In the video, Kim held a birthday party with comedians Shim Jin-hwa and Lee Kyung-bun, whom the segment described as his fan and junior colleagues.

Shim and Lee said they were the president and vice president of Kim's fan club. Shim said she had liked Kim since before her debut and recalled that after she debuted, her husband Kim Won-hyo became a guest on Kim Young-chul's radio show.

Shim said, 'So I would follow my husband in the morning when he went as a radio guest, hide, and watch Young-chul oppa.' Kim Young-chul responded that he remembered it.

Shim added, 'But people reacted as if I could not be apart from him because we were newlyweds. I went there to see Kim Young-chul.' The production team later cast Shim as a regular guest on Kim Young-chul's radio show.

Shim said Lee Kyung-bun, her junior from SBS's open recruitment, later learned that she had become somewhat close to Kim Young-chul and asked, 'Senior, please introduce me to Young-chul oppa!' Shim said that was how the gathering of 'Young-chul fans' began.

Lee said, 'I think there are people who like him the way I do,' adding that at first she thought, 'Oh, I am tired of this,' but then suddenly became drawn in. She said it seemed impressive that Kim wore a BoA wig and imitated BoA without seeming worried about BoA's fan club, prompting Kim to ask whether she was his fan or an anti-fan.