Kim Jun Ho's transformation: Devoted husband to expectant father

Comedian Kim Jun Ho has drawn both teasing and admiration from his colleagues by revealing his extraordinary affection for his pregnant wife, Kim Ji-min. Kim, who has typically been portrayed on broadcasts with a sly and playful character, is showing a changed side—such as stepping forward to have his wife's name personally embroidered—as he becomes an expectant father, drawing attention to his more serious daily life.

In the episode of E Channel and Channel S's 'Nidonnaesan Dokbak Tour' aired on the 19th, Kim Dae-hee, Kim Jun Ho, Jang Dong-min, Yoo Se Yoon, and Hong In-kyu were shown going on a nostalgic trip to Cheorwon, Gangwon Province. The 'Dokbak Crew,' who visited the Hantangang River Geopark Trail and the Sky Observatory, continued their signature bickering chemistry while playing various games with entrance fees at stake.

Kim Jun Ho, selected as the first person to bear the burden that day, meticulously collected even the local gift certificates he received as a bonus after paying the entrance fees. Seeing this, Hong In-kyu remarked, "Now that you're becoming a baby daddy, you're even taking care of things like this," turning Kim Jun Ho's change into a source of laughter.

The truly buzzworthy scene occurred later when they visited a so-called 'soldier's department store' in the town of Cheorwon. The members decided to order embroidery to have names stitched onto military caps, and when Yoo Se Yoon asked what he would have embroidered, Kim Jun Ho replied without hesitation, "Please stitch 'Kim Ji-min' for me."

Following Kim Jun Ho's choice, Jang Dong-min went a step further by suggesting a heart be added next to his wife's name, and Yoo Se Yoon also ordered 'Long Life' to be written next to his own wife's name, sparking an impromptu 'devoted lover duel.' Although it was a scene meant for laughs, the members' reactions were special because Kim Jun Ho thought of his wife's name first.

Above all, this scene is garnering interest because it aligns with Kim Jun Ho's recent broadcast persona. For a long time, he has created laughter in variety shows by leading with his unique humor, mischievous jokes, and sometimes an immature male character. Since his marriage, however, he has not only publicly discussed his relationship with Kim Ji-min but also more frequently reveals himself as a husband who prioritizes his wife and child following the news of her pregnancy.

In fact, Kim Jun Ho has revealed on broadcasts his efforts to change his lifestyle since the period they were preparing for a second generation. Last March, he showed himself choosing cola over Sapporo Beer during a trip to Japan, stating he had been abstaining from smoking and drinking for a month to prepare for pregnancy, which earned him applause from his colleagues.

Of course, the promises to quit smoking and drinking have not always been perfectly kept on broadcast. In a July broadcast, a scene was revealed where Kim Jun Ho, who had promised to abstain from alcohol ahead of Kim Ji-min's IVF procedure, was seen drinking 52-degree Kaoliang liquor during a trip to China. At the time, this led to humorous reactions from both colleagues and viewers.

Despite these trials and errors, the most important change for the couple was ultimately the fruit of pregnancy. In July, Kim Ji-min personally announced via her SNS that she had succeeded in her first IVF procedure and stated that she was 12 weeks pregnant and expected to give birth early next year. The couple became parents just one year after marrying in July 2025.

At the time, Kim Ji-min shared ultrasound photos and pregnancy test photos, expressing her feelings with sentiments such as, "Last year we became a permanent two, and this year we became the three we dreamed of." As the pregnancy came after a long period of preparation, it can be interpreted that this is not just a happy event for Kim Jun Ho, but also a turning point that makes him re-examine his life's priorities.

The fact that their relationship has been a consistent topic of conversation in variety shows is not unrelated to these changes. From their dating days to after marriage, Kim Jun Ho and Kim Ji-min have openly shared their affection and conflicts, and whenever Kim Jun Ho mentions Kim Ji-min, the modifier 'devoted lover' follows him. Earlier this year on 'Nidonnaesan Dokbak Tour,' colleague Hong In-kyu also mentioned that the two have a good relationship and express their affection by talking on the phone every day.

In particular, this pregnancy is bringing a small change to Kim Jun Ho's image as a broadcaster. While his comedic character in the past was closer to a 'big brother' or an 'immature husband,' he has now added the realistic role of an expectant father waiting for a child. This is even why his act of collecting local gift certificates on 'Nidonnaesan Dokbak Tour' is linked by his colleagues to him having "become a baby daddy."

Not to say that Kim Jun Ho's unique variety instincts have disappeared. Rather, the way his colleagues immediately turned his serious act of embroidering his wife's name on a military cap into a source of teasing, and how Kim Jun Ho himself played along to create laughter, is the signature style of 'Nidonnaesan Dokbak Tour.' Instead of overly romanticizing love, the changing relationship revealed naturally amidst his friends' teasing creates a more realistic form of humor.

Debuting as a 5th generation SBS comedian in 1996, Kim Jun Ho has established himself as a long-standing entertainer through various variety programs, including KBS 'Gag Concert,' '1 Days and 1 Night,' 'My Little Old Boy,' 'Dolsing Fourmen,' and 'Nidonnaesan Dokbak Tour.' To a man who has lived as a 'funny person' for a long time, the new role of 'father' has now been added.

Kim Jun Ho and Kim Ji-min's first child is expected to be born early next year. Moving forward, Kim Jun Ho's portrayal as an expectant father on 'Nidonnaesan Dokbak Tour' is expected to be another key point of interest. Attention is focused on what kind of laughter and stories Kim Jun Ho's realistic changes—prioritizing his wife and child within the program's original format of travel and 'dokbak' games—will create.