Noh Hong-chul Says He Has No Interest in Dating, but Beopryun Sunim Says the Desire Is Clearly There

Broadcaster Noh Hong-chul shared an unusually candid thought about marriage on the June 2 broadcast of the SBS entertainment program "Beopryun Road: The Monk and the Guests." While his parents still hope to see him get married, Noh said that he personally wants to continue living a single life.

The episode followed Beopryun Sunim and his guests during their journey to Bodh Gaya, India, described in the program as one of Buddhism's most sacred sites. After touring the city of Bodh Gaya by rickshaw with Beopryun Sunim, Noh sat down for a late-night conversation and spoke about what had been weighing on him.

"Honestly, I do not have any major worries," Noh said. "I am living so excitedly that I do not have much interest in dating itself. I have clearly drawn the line with my parents and told them I think I will stay alone, but because they want me to get married, that weighs on my mind and has become a concern."

Beopryun Sunim responded by pointing out that Noh's concern for his parents may itself show that his feelings are not fully settled. "In truth, because you have a desire to marry, your parents are on your mind. It is because you do not have certainty within yourself," he said, adding that if Noh's path were completely clear, he would not be shaken by the issue. Noh then acknowledged, "The desire is 200 percent there."

"Beopryun Road: The Monk and the Guests" is a question-and-answer road travel program about setting out to find one's true self along the boundary between emptying and filling. For the Bodh Gaya journey in India, Noh was joined as a guest by actors Lee Sang-yoon, Lee Joo-bin and Lee Ki-taek.