Song Ji-hyo namanya. Saya mungkin sempet bahas sedikit soal aktris Korea Selatan satu ini di salah satu postingan saya tentang "Running Man" sekitar tiga taunan lalu (weleeeh..udah lama juga ya :D). Dia adalah satu-satunya member tetap "Running Man" yang seorang Woman *apeu*, yang terkenal cuek, apa adanya, a truly ace, seorang perempuan tangguh dan perkasa, bahkan dibandingkan dengan kebanyakan member Running Man lain yang notabene pria. Sebelum jadi runners (baca: Running Man freak), saya sempet ngeliat akting Ji-hyo lewat K-drama "Princess Hours" yang beberapa tahun lalu sempet tayang di salah satu stasiun televisi swasta kita. Memerankan seorang balerina bernama Min Hyo-rin, she acted so well on that series. Dan ternyata, image gadis manis di serial tersebut, bener-bener buyar setelah ngeliat aksinya di "Running Man".
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| Wake up, Miss Mong!!! :D |
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| Bare-faced celebrity. So what?? :D |
Aksi hebat Ji-hyo yang paling saya salut selama di Running Man, ya apalagi kalo bukan ngelakuin bungee jumping di Macau Tower dari ketinggian 233 meter itu. Di saat mostly member "Running Man" lain ga berani mengambil tantangan itu, Ji-hyo bahkan melakukannya sampai dua kali. Ya, DUA KALI!! Saking salutnya sampe nangis terharu gitu dah emak-emak yang takut ketinggian satu ini liatnya. Hahaha.. :D Belum lagi aksi-aksi extreme lain yang dengan gagah beraninya dilakukan Ji-hyo selama bermain di "Running Man". She's the one yang bakal dengan senang hati duduk di kereta paling depan untuk tantangan yang berhubungan dengan roller coaster, she's the one yang bakal dengan sukarela jadi korban lemparan di permainan bungee dan sejenisnya, and she's the one yang bakal ngejar member terkuat semacam Kim Jong-kook sekalipun demi ngelepas name tagnya. Indeed..she's the brave one.
Setelah review tentang Ji-hyo yang cuek dan apa adanya, yang seakan ga peduli sama imagenya sebagai aktris terkenal dan berbakat di negeri ginseng sana, you guys better check this transformation. How she turns out into a hot and sexy lady is definitely amazed me. Waktu liat berita tentang Ji-hyo yang jadi model cover majalah 1st Look edisi Februari di salah satu web K-News, it's hard to believe that this is the same person as I always see in "Running Man". Ngeliat foto-foto covernya, kali ini giliran image Ji-hyo yang cuek, urakan, dan apa adanya itu yang bubar buyar. Dalam balutan busana-busana seksi, yang jelas jauh dari kesan dan keseharian Ji-hyo di "Running Man" selama ini, she looks stunning, really. Setelah sedikit banyak ngikutin industri hiburannya lewat berbagai drama, variety show, dan musiknya, saya berani bilang bahwa ga banyak seleb negeri ginseng yang unik seperti dia. Kebanyakan mungkin akan bersikap sangat ngartis di kesehariannya, melindungi imagenya, bahkan terkesan jaim di kesempatan apa pun ketika berhadapan dengan kamera. Tapi Miss Mong ini, sejauh yang saya lihat di Running Man dan variety show lain yang saya streaming atau pantengin di Youtube, sama sekali ngga seperti itu. Mo keliatan jelek ya jelek aja, mo rambut acak-acakan ya acak-acakan aja, toh, artis juga manusia. Variety show, seakan jadi ajang untuk Ji-hyo menampilkan sisi "sesungguhnya" dari seorang Miss Mong. That's why, biarpun "Running Man" ditonton banyak orang bahkan hingga seluruh dunia, Ji-hyo ga lantas merasa harus selalu keliatan cantik bak bidadari turun dari kayangan, atau bertutur kata manis kayak kontestan putri-putrian. Sementara ketika ia harus mengacu pada naskah K-drama yang diperankannya, membawakan suatu roduk yang diiklankannya, atau tampil dalam busana yang menjadikannya seorang model, lain lagi jadinya.
Beberapa hari setelah fan meeting Running Man di Singapura Oktober 2013 lalu, saya sempat membaca wawancara Ji-hyo dengan media setempat via Todayonline. Wawancara itu juga semakin memperkuat image seorang Ji-hyo yang selama ini hanya saya kenal lewat K-shows dan K-drama. Gimana lengkapnya, saya kutip di bawah ini ya.. :)
SINGAPORE — Song Ji Hyo may not know it, but she’s totally one of us. Really.
Personality-wise, the Running Man cast member — who was in town with her cast-mates Gary, Haha, Kim Jong Kook and Jee Seok Jin for Watsons Race Start! in Singapore — could have been a Singaporean separated at birth.
Not only was the 32-year-old South Korean celebrity looking forward to tasting the requisite chilli crab, her signature facial expression that earned her the on-screen nickname “Blank Ji” matches the description of a favourite Singaporean archetype perfectly: The Sotong.
But since she’s Running Man’s rose among its thorns, it’s apt that she’s a mysterious contradiction. The Princess Hours and Jumong actress may be a “blur queen”, but her other nickname is “the Ace” — because she wins a lot of challenges. And pity the hapless fool who dares to stand between her and Running Man victory.
“She is not a woman. Sometimes she is stronger than us,” said Kim Jong Kook, in English.
That’s where the latent Singaporean in Song surfaces again — rearing its kiasu head.
Q: How does it feel to be the most popular member of the cast?
A: Am I? (Laughs) It probably feels like that because I’m the only female in the cast, but I never really felt that I was the most popular one. It’s always great to be, though. But for Running Man I always try to blend well into the family and try my best.
Q: How do you manage to still look good while running around on the show? Any tips?
A: No, I never really try to look pretty on the show. I think it’s best to do your best while you’re in the moment, so I don’t think about running prettily or anything like that. I think the viewers know that whenever I try to do that, it doesn’t really look good on the show. And I think they appreciate the side of me that’s always trying my best in whatever I’m doing. So that’s the way in which I show my best side.
Q: You are very competitive in the Running Man challenges. Are you like that in real life as well?
A: I love sports so competitiveness has always been in me and I always want to win. Actually, it’s not that I always want to win – it’s more that I don’t want to lose. It’s a little different!
Q: You’ve won the most amount of gold. Do you keep it or sell it?
A: It’s all on display at home. But these days I give it to the guests. Even if I win a prize, it’s not the same any more.
Q: Since each episode is a physical workout, have you lost weight since becoming a cast member?
A: We film once a week and even though what you see on screen is an hour and a half, we film for about ten hours on average. So that regular weekly workout definitely makes a difference. I never lost weight – nor did I gain weight – but I gained a lot of muscle. At the same time, I eat a lot because there is so much physical activity. I think it’s helped me to balance and maintain my weight. So, because I eat a lot, I don’t really lose weight, but I don’t gain weight, either.
Q: What is it like to be the only girl in the cast – are you the voice of reason when the guys are being too silly? Are you like their mum?
A: This is a tough one. When there is a conflict, we are the kind of people who comfort each other and show understanding, and say, “It’s okay, we’ll do better next time”. A little bit of support here and there, instead of really going into detail about who was right or who was wrong. It’s a family so we tend to cover up for each other. Everyone’s like that in Running Man.
Q: Which other cast member would you want on your side in a pinch?
A: All of them. It really feels like a family now. I can’t pick one person who will always be there for me because we are all family. Everyone’s there for one another, supporting one another. It’s always been like that because we spend so much time together.
Q: As one half of the Monday Couple, what’s your relationship with Gary like in real life?
A: For the three years that I’ve been in Running Man, we’ve never had a private meal. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad. You look a little disappointed! (Laughs)
Q: What is the most memorable thing you have done on the show?
A: Every episode is special and memorable. When I watch the episodes, I relive what I was feeling at that particular moment. Each episode is special in that way. But if you ask me to pick one particular moment, well, whenever we go overseas and see the foreign fans, it feels special. Also, whenever I win, it’s memorable! (Laughs)
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