National track athlete Namadi Joel Jin to reunite with Kim Gook-jin

Namadi Joel Jin, a 186cm national track and field athlete who appeared on 'Bungeoppang' as a child, will reunite with entertainer Kim Gook-jin on the MBC show 'Radio Star' on the 21st. The broadcast will also feature Biwesa Daniel Gasama sharing a story about receiving contact from a high school crush after winning an Asian Games medal.

The cute young boy once held in the arms of entertainer Kim Gook-jin is returning 12 years later, having grown significantly into a national team athlete. Namadi Joel Jin, who formed a connection with Kim Gook-jin on the entertainment program 'Bungeoppang' during his childhood, has grown into a 186cm tall national track and field athlete. During this special reunion across the years, Kim Gook-jin expressed great joy, while Joel Jin is expected to provide a touching moment by gifting a drawing he created himself.

On the MBC entertainment show 'Radio Star', airing at 10:30 PM on the 21st, Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games medalists Kim Young-beom, Choi Jun-yong, Kang Lee-seul, Biwesa Daniel Gasama, and Namadi Joel Jin will appear. The broadcast will reveal various episodes, ranging from the behind-the-scenes stories of athletes active on the international stage to unique personal connections and fresh romance stories.

Among these, the reunion between Joel Jin and Kim Gook-jin is drawing significant attention. Joel Jin was the child who appeared on 'Bungeoppang' and was held by Kim Gook-jin. Having met viewers with a cute appearance back then, he has grown over 12 years into an athlete representing South Korea. Viewers who remember his childhood appearance are expected to feel a special sense of nostalgia seeing the grown Joel Jin.

Kim Gook-jin also expressed his delight upon seeing the remarkably grown Joel Jin. To commemorate their long-awaited meeting, Joel Jin moved Kim Gook-jin with a gift of a drawing he made himself during his training breaks. The connection formed on a broadcast in his childhood has led to a reunion between a national athlete and an entertainer. Interest is focused on what stories the two will share after growing in their respective fields over the years.

The broadcast will also reveal the fresh unrequited love story of Biwesa Daniel Gasama. Identifying himself as someone who has never been in a relationship, Daniel revealed that he received contact from the person he has had feelings for since high school after winning a medal at the Asian Games. He shared that the excitement grew even more as he achieved a valuable result as an athlete and simultaneously received contact from the person he had liked for a long time.

Daniel further cautiously revealed his feelings, stating that the two seem to have become a bit closer. Upon hearing this, the MCs offered their support, and Daniel plans to deliver a message directly to his crush through the broadcast. As the joyful news of winning a medal led to an unexpected change in a relationship, curiosity is piqued as to whether his sincere confession will reach the recipient.

The two athletes will also recount the dramatic moments they experienced before winning the bronze medal in the men's 400m relay at the Asian Games. The South Korean team was initially disqualified in the preliminaries due to a ruling that they had left the baton exchange zone, but they were granted a chance to advance to the finals following an appeal. It was a moment where the determination of the athletes shone, as their challenge for a medal almost ended in frustration in an instant.

Difficult conditions continued in the finals. Amidst heavy rain, the South Korean team had to compete from the disadvantageous lane 1. Joel Jin recalled the dizzying moment when he almost slipped on the water-pooled track, while Daniel expressed confidence, stating, "If we had done it from lane 6, it would have definitely been gold." From the process of reaching the finals after overcoming the disqualification crisis to the variables on the day of the race, the intense stories hidden behind the bronze medal are expected to draw viewers' attention.

The child who was held in Kim Gook-jin's arms on a broadcast 12 years ago has now grown into an athlete representing South Korea on the international stage. Combined with a national athlete's confession of unrequited love and the behind-the-scenes stories surrounding the Asian Games bronze medal, 'Radio Star' is expected to deliver both laughter and emotion on this day.

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