Kim Sang-hyuk holds hands on blind date six years after divorce

Kim Sang-hyuk, a former member of the group Click-B, is seeking a new connection six years after his divorce. After struggling with verbal slips during a previous blind date, he is raising expectations for a different outcome this time as he embarks on an unconventional date involving a day of travel on a Mugunghwa train.

On the Channel A show 'Groom Class 2', airing at 9 PM on the 4th, Kim participates in a 'Train Blind Date' planned by Song Hae Na. The concept aims for a 'natural encounter' style of meeting, leaving behind the regrets of his first attempt. Because the date involves traveling to a destination via Mugunghwa train to facilitate natural conversation, Tak Jae-hun and Lee Seung-chul appeared nervous, jokingly asking, "Can we just get off at the next station if we don't like them?"

Upon boarding the train, Kim was met by a blind date partner who is a former Miss Korea. Upon seeing her, Kim could not hide his smile and expressed his interest, saying, "I am happy that such a beautiful person appeared."

Compared to his previous blind date, where he repeatedly made verbal slips due to nervousness, the atmosphere was noticeably different from the very first impression.

After the two arrived at their destination, Yesan in Chungnam, they ended up holding hands in an unexpected moment. Watching this, Tak Jae-hun and Lee Seung-chul drew laughter with their exaggerated reactions, remarking, "This is the fastest hand-holding in the history of 'Groom Class'," and "In soccer terms, it's like scoring a goal just 3 minutes into the match."

Moving beyond the initial awkwardness, the natural skinship indicated a much smoother flow than his previous encounter.

However, the date did not proceed without hurdles. For their first meal in Yesan, Kim chose soy-marinated crab (ganjang-gejang). Song Hae Na expressed concern, noting it was a difficult menu choice for a first meal with a stranger, and an awkward situation arose when his date revealed she was also eating soy-marinated crab for the first time. Given that the dish requires using hands and can leave a lingering scent, it was an unexpected choice for a first date.

During the meal, Kim also cautiously addressed his past. He asked his partner, "I wonder if you knew that I am a divorcee, and if you are okay with that?", directly confirming her stance on his history. Rather than hiding his past during a private meeting, he chose to be transparent about how the other person perceives it. Interest is gathering as to whether this meeting can lead to an actual relationship beyond a variety show segment.

Kim debuted in 1999 as a member of Click-B and was a leading figure of the first-generation idol era through hits like 'Dreaming' and 'Unbeatable'. Click-B established a unique identity by bridging the gap between band-style idols and traditional dance groups, and Kim expanded his public recognition by balancing group activities with variety show appearances. He later transitioned into broadcasting, but his career took a major hit following a 2005 drunk driving incident, when he faced intense criticism for his remark, "I drank, but I didn't drive drunk."

Since then, Kim's career has been shadowed by that incident. He married shopping mall CEO Song Da-ye, who is six years younger, in 2019, but they divorced about a year later. His appearance on 'Groom Class 2' is significant as it marks his public search for a new relationship following his divorce.

In a recent episode of 'Groom Class 2', Kim showed the side of a 'dating novice' by repeatedly making slips of the tongue due to excessive nervousness. In this train blind date, however, he is showing a more mature approach by responding to his partner's interest and being direct about his personal history.

However, it remains to be seen whether the 'ultra-fast hand-holding' on screen will lead to an actual romance. As the excitement of blind date programs can be heightened through editing and participant reactions, whether the relationship develops into a real courtship is a separate matter.

As Kim stands before a new connection after navigating a personal history of mistakes, marriage, and divorce, the key interest lies in what choice he will make and whether this meeting, born in the romantic confines of a train, can evolve into a real relationship.