Jung Joon-ho Arranges Blind Date for Tak Jae-hun with LA Businesswoman

The possibility of Tak Jae-hun meeting a new partner 11 years after his divorce has been teased. This comes as actor Jung Joon-ho, considered one of the entertainment industry's representative 'kings of networking,' personally arranges a blind date. The counterpart is a businesswoman operating in Los Angeles (LA), and according to Jung's explanation, she is an entrepreneur whose annual revenue reached 200 billion won last year. However, whether this leads to an actual relationship remains to be seen through the broadcast.

In the episode of SBS's 'My Little Old Boy' airing on the 6th, Tak and Jung will meet, revealing Jung's unique method of managing connections. Based on their long-standing friendship, the two are expected to showcase their signature 'tiki-taka' banter, exchanging unrestrained jokes and even touching upon Tak's private life and human relationships.

As soon as Jung met Tak, his first words were nagging: "Get some social activity going." Mentioning that a recent program of Tak's had fallen through, he scolded him for neglecting his activities and networking, before leading him away saying, "Let's do a job together." However, what awaited Tak was unexpected labor.

Ahead of the Chuseok holiday, Jung was personally packing 200 boxes of potato and apple gift sets to send to his acquaintances. Jung explained that this is his way of managing connections, as he has been personally preparing gifts every holiday for over 20 years. Tak also joined the task, but it is reported that he eventually threw off his gloves and left the scene in anger, promising laughs for the viewers.

The scale of Jung's network is also significant. Revealing that he has as many as 18,000 contacts stored in his mobile phone, he explained that he doesn't just build acquaintances with celebrities but puts effort into maintaining relationships over a long period. In particular, a subtle psychological warfare broke out between the two when it was revealed that Tak's father is also among those he manages.

Tak's father was introduced as a businessman running a ready-mixed concrete company with an annual revenue of 18 billion won. When Tak heard this and suspiciously asked, "Why you? Are you aiming for my father's wealth?" Jung shot back, "It didn't seem like he had any intention of giving it to you, though." It is said that the scene turned into a sea of laughter as jokes about his friend's father's wealth were exchanged.

Jung's 'networking lesson' does not end there. He stepped forward to introduce a close female acquaintance to Tak, who has been single for a long time. As the explanation continued that she is a businesswoman in LA with last year's revenue reaching 200 billion won, Tak's expression brightened instantly. Expectations for the blind date grew even further when it was revealed that the woman is an ardent fan of Tak.

The modifier 'divorced' began to be attached to Tak following his divorce in 2015. He married in 2001 and had one son and one daughter, but ended his marriage after about 14 years. Since then, he has experienced a second heyday by honestly and humorously showing the daily life of a single man on variety programs, including 'My Little Old Boy.' This is closely related to how stories surrounding blind dates and marriage have become a major narrative in his variety show appearances.

Tak has been active across music and variety shows since the 1990s. He gained popularity as a singer with hits like "Oh! Happy" and "Gimme! Gimme!" as part of Country Kkokko, and later solidified his position as an entertainer using his signature cynical humor and quick wit through shows like 'Sang Sang Plus,' 'Tak Jae-hun's Pressure Interview,' and 'My Little Old Boy.' In 2023, he reaffirmed his status as a broadcaster by winning the SBS Entertainment Grand Prize based on his activities in shows like 'My Little Old Boy.'

His connection with Jung also goes beyond a simple broadcast relationship. The two have appeared as best friends for a long time on 'My Little Old Boy,' creating laughter by exposing and countering each other's private lives. Previously, Jung joked about Tak's past newlywed life, saying, "I almost didn't marry after seeing that," only to immediately flip his words and evaluate the marriage positively by saying, "They didn't even touch each other." As such, their relationship follows the typical pattern of male best friend variety shows, where they attack each other's weaknesses only to reconcile with laughter.

This blind date is also seen as another variation unfolding upon the narrative of Tak's single life that 'My Little Old Boy' has built, rather than being the actual start of a romance. In particular, since Jung personally selected and connected the partner from among his numerous connections, and the woman is said to be a fan of Tak, attention is focused on what kind of conversation the two will have.

Whether marriage or dating occurs is not yet a confirmed fact. However, it is interesting enough that a new variable has appeared in the 'divorced man variety show' narrative that has followed Tak for 11 years. Attention is focused on whether Jung's vast network, which includes more people than anyone else in the industry, can lead to a real connection this time, moving beyond mere broadcast comedy.