[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

6 hours ago, Swan Solimo said:

 

Saw this as well and wanted to ask what it means. I don't understand why KJK would stop HH from mentioning he came to the concert with a friend and the friend's daughter. It's also puzzling why HH even suddenly mentioned it in the first place.

 

KJK took a pic with the friend's daughter, so HH was talking about a real friend.

 

The interesting thing to me is that KJK gives a sort-of panicked reaction before HH says the name - when HH only says that a friend brought his daughter. So I wonder if KJK misunderstood somehow.

 

Anyway, we shouldn't read too much into it.

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cdirj2Qg97b/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

 

From KJK's concert

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

@fs10 I'm working on a post on my thoughts about the black pepper incident. It just takes time to write up.

 

@Xonos SJH's answer lines up with I thought she felt about the loveline initially, so this isn't a surprise to me at all. Some old MC may dislike this, but SJH seemed to have a hard time with MC (especially in the later years), and I can see how that would make her uncomfortable with the ideaof starting up another loveline on the show. There might also be the fear that she'll seem like player having a loveline with KJK after one with KG. If she is dating KJK, then it's probably worrisome to have your relationship thrust into the spotlight and put under the scrutiny of so many people. If she wasn't dating KJK at the time, then there may be the fear of putting a strain on an important friendship. Basically, there's lots of reasons why SJH would hate the idea of a loveline.

 

Of course, we shouldn't assume SJH is telling the truth here. It's possible she dislikes the loveline now, but can't insult the show she's working on. However,for the sake of discussion, let's say she was honest that she disliked the loveline initially, made a request of KJK, but enjoys the loveline now. These are some of my thoughts:

 

1) Interestingly, they don't approach the loveline as two individual celebrities. Usually, you would expect a celebrity who had an issue with a loveline to go to the PD, since thr casts' contracts are with SBS/RM,not with each other. The one who would be proposing the loveline would be the crew. If a celeb wanted to refuse a loveline, they would speak to the staff/SBS. Instead, SJH has a conversation with KJK about not doing this loveline. The implication is that they make the decision together whether or not to do the loveline. It reminds me a lot of 2016, after getting fired, the announcements for both KJK and SJH came through KJK's management. It's really not something celebs who are just friends do. Friendship is great and all, but at a certain point you're dealing with contracts and celebrity images. Sharing this kind of decision making indicates a relationship beyond friendship.

 

2) Another thing to note is that we don't actually know when this conversation between KJK and SJH took place. It could have been all the way back in 2017/2018 where we only got snippets of SA teasing.

 

My initial thought was that the conversation likely took place in late 2018/early 2019 when we first got an explicit SA loveline. SJH was against the loveline; KJK, to some unknown degree, was for the loveline. They discussed; KJK convinced SJH to do the loveline.  KJK has had many more lovelines than SJH, and therefore has probanly had a wider variety of experiences. He knows the big positives of lovelines - he probably also knows that a loveline would help SJH get screentime (something she's struggled with due to not being as proactive). So that was my initial guess as to when the conversation between KJK and SJH in regards to the loveline took place.

 

@Adora Dark suggested another time the conversation could have taken place to me: in 2019, after the loveline had played out some. So this is another thought: In the beginning of 2019, we got an explicit SA loveline  with the rest of the cast encouraging them. This happened for more than 1 episode in a row; compared to the previous, brief highlights SA moments, we can definitely say that in early 2019, SA were in a loveline. Then in the second half or 2019 and most of 2020, the loveline juat dropped. To the extent that KJK and SJH would actively avoid reacting to one another. All sorts of theories came up: SA had broken up, SA had gotten together, one of them was going to marry someone else. But then in 2021, we suddenly got the loveline again (this time stronger than ever).

 

A lot of things could have happened behind the scenes to explain these changes in the loveline. But, perhaps, SJH's request in regards to the loveline is what caused the sudden end to the loveline and During that time period, KJK was the one who obviously refused to participate in the loveline. He would often look down when they discussed SJH in the openings. If this was a decision on SA's part, that SJH asked KJK to stop the loveline, this behavior makes sense to me. In variety shows, KJK has more influence and bargaining power than SJH. He can more easily refuse to do a loveline than she can. So, he may have taken the active role in refusing.

 

If this is the case, it's interesting that they started the loveline up again in 2021, perhaps now that they had more distance from other loveline (e.g. KJK-HJY), perhaps they realized how profitable the loveline was, etc. Regardless, they both appear to be on board with the loveline now, making the choice to appear in multiple shows outside RM. SJH has been one of the first guests in multiple of KJK's projects now (from MUD, Gym Jong Kook, PCIH). She even states that she attended PCIH to support him, not because she has something to promote.

 

Anyway, these are just musings. We'll never get a real answer, so we can only speculate based on scraps of info that we get in interviews where they may or may not be telling the truth. Let me know if you have any other thoughts!

 

 

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

There were a lot of fun, cute moments that I enjoyed this ep, such as SJH's dance and her Angry Girlfriend face. In my opinion, SJH becomes much more active when it involves KJK. From teasing to defending, she's much more likely to speak up when he's involved. Also, I like KJK's noticably gentler voice when it was SJH's turn for the quiz (right before she answers amoeba).

 

But I don't have too much to discuss about those moments. Instead, I want to talk about seaweed soup.

 

So google led me to this explanation of why Koreans eat seaweed soup on their birthday's: https://blog.mykoreatrip.com/why-korean-people-eat-seaweed-soup-on-their-birthday/

 

So when everyone is sitting down to enjoy KJK's birthday meal, prepared by the staff, this scene happens:

 

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CdTYgYBAmuh/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

 

Since translations for subs can be off (subbing can be difficult and often subs go for tone rather than literal meaning), I asked my friend (who was a member of this forum previously) for the translation. HH: "SJH, the seawood soup is really good." SJH: "Is it good?" HH: "You really cook well." SJH: "How did you know?" YSC: "Did SJH cook this the day before?" HH: "Oh."

 

I first saw this scene on IG, and I figured it was a usually loveline joke where cast member A starts a skit by saying something along time lines of, "Oh, the gf made seawood soup for her boyfriend" and cast member B plays along, "Ohh you must really love your bf" (They've done skits like this all the time on RM). So my initial thought was that SJH hadn't made the soup and HH was just starting a skit by implying that she did.

 

Then, when I watched the scene in the context of the ep, I was surprised at how low key it was. Usually, I would expect the other members to jump at HH saying SJH made the seaweed soup and to go over the top with the teasing. Instead, you get a brief comment on it from HH, a question from YSC, and then the conversation moves on. No one else acknowledges it. I would also expect Bo-Pil to place a caption declare the scene a skit and HH is the "loveline lover", but he doesn't do that. So basically, I went into the scene expect the SJH making the seaweed soup to be played off as a loveline joke... except it wasn't. Which then leads to the question if SJH did make the seaweed soup for KJK's birthday, what does it mean?

 

We have seen SJH prepare seaweed soup on the show before, for YSC's birthday. The difference is that YSC's soup was prepared in front of the cameras as part of the show. If SJH actually did make the soup, then she had to prepare it in advance and coordinate with the staff who prepared the rest of feast. That's above and beyond. While it's definitely in character for herto care for her cast mates, I've never heard of going as far as making a very special soup for one of the other cast member's birthdays behind the scenes. That to me is a girlfriend/significant other act.

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

13 minutes ago, Xonos said:

If they are real, there won't be any moving forward unless RM ends or KJK / SJH leave RM, nuff'said.

 

I don't really know the view of both of them regarding marriage, family and even kids.

 

I mean, between just get marriage only + live as couple and get marriage + having kids are kinda 2 diff things.

 

Reason being if end game just stay as couple, they can announce it even when they 50+ years old a.k.a still long time to go, can RM many more years.

 

But if want kids, I just don't think they are eager either.

 

But SJH does mentioned on 600th episode that she had no idea what else to do in RM in which of coz members quickly jump on it and said the opposite. But is that the subtle sign on she is showing fatigue and perhaps want to leave like LKS? Since LKS leaving RM he is doing just fine on what he want to do as actor, and perhaps more healthy too. Perhaps seeing LKS good condition after leaving RM will let SJH evaluate her current situation.

 

I also read on some news saying that KJK want to get married in these 2 years...

 

All in all, if they are true, well, time eventually will tell.

 

I've also had thoughts that SA are not particularly interested in having kids. The difficulty with this is that they have both in interviews mentioned wanting kids, so we would have to accept that they were not being entirely honest in those interviews. That doesn't mean it's a complete lie, there may be various factors as to why they wouldn't gave kids. But despite shippers' wishes, if they are dating, KJKand SJH don't seem to want that "get married, have kids, blissful family" life. 

 

If having kids was a high priority, then I don't think even Running Man and the fans would have stopped them. There's only so much of your personal life you can put on hold for career and fans. They've both been in the industry for a long time and have probanly figured out what balance between personal and public works for them. Basically, I'm saying if they really wanted to have kids, they wouldn't wait this long, to the point where it is dangerous for the mother and child's health. Of course, they are rich and therefore have access to the medical technology that can make a late pregnancy easier, so I wouldn't rule out wantung kids just yet, but it certainly looks as though they don't plan to have children to me.

 

Once the idea of having kids is out of the picture, there's no reason for SA to rush to get married, not when it would result in one or both of them leaving RM. Celeb couples in South Korea don't appear as regulars on variety shows together; in fact, a lot of them remain distant on social media and rarely talk about one another. While there's a first for everything, there's probably a lot of cons to having your real life relationship thrust into the spotlight every week on a show that can get physical. I've never really thought SA would both continue the show if they announced, and given everything weknow about them,if only one was to leave RM, it'd most likely be SJH.

 

About KJK saying he'll get married in 2 years... he's said that he'll het married in 2 years every year since I joined the fandom in 2016. He's missed countless 2 year deadlines lol. KJK has said he'll lie up until the moment he announces, so I just ignore anything he says about his relationship status and marriage plans. I'm shocked TV show hosts don't get bored of asking him such uselesa questions. If SA don't announce in 2 years bc RM is still going, I won't be surprised. If SA announced tomorrow, I also won't be surprised. 

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

1 hour ago, Swan Solimo said:

 

I just think that even a couple hiding their relationship wouldn't be comfortable using the term dongsaeng as it means younger sibling. While it is being used to refer to younger close friends, from what I understand, this refers to a younger person who is like a sibling. But I do see your point that there may not be a better alternative term.

 

I think this might be a difficult concept to understand because there's no real translation to English. Dongsaeng does get translated to little bro or little sis, but it does not necessarily mean siblings. I talked over this with my friend who understands Korean just to be certain, it really just refers to someone younger. There's no "like a sibling" context to it in this case with SA. It simply is how he has to refer to someone younger. There's no word like this in English because we don't have an age heirarchy in English-speaking cultures, and you're not going to type out "younger female I'm comfortanle with" every time they use the word "dongsaeng" when tranating.

 

I think this page explains the different uses of dongsaeng:

 

https://linguasia.com/dongsaeng

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

15 hours ago, Swan Solimo said:

On KJK's response in PCIH, I think saying they're family would have been enough-- as they have used this script for a long time. The mention of "dongsaeng" specifically is what I thought was odd if there is something going on between them. Family is vague enough but I don't think calling a partner or potential partner a dongsaeng is acceptable in any context.

 

I am confused as to why you think KJK wouldn't refer to SJH as a dongsaeng. Dongsaeng can refer simply to a younger person. Couples don't use the word so dongsaeng, but KJK and SJH, if in a relationship, are not public. There isn't another word KJK could use. So I don't see how this is evidence that they are not partners/potential partners.

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

1 hour ago, fs10 said:

Your posts age pretty well i think  I even still read ''it began with a gray sky" like reading an old thumbed through book in my bookshelf  I look forward to your thoughts on SA's names on each other's phones episode 

 

Also, I'm hoping for the reemergence of previously active  writers as well, such as 

@Adora Darkr

 

Oof "It Began With A Gray Sky" is old. My writing has improved since then, I promise.

 

So, the obvious thing about the phones is that SA have different names for each other compared to their phone names for everyone else. That is a flag that their relationship is unique compared to their relationships with the rest of the cast. You could argue that they're just really really close friends, but the fact that not even HH, who has been KJK's friend since Turbo days, gets a nickname like that indicates to me that there's sonething more there.

 

My initial thought was actually that KJK lied about what SJH's name on his phone was. I don't know how to explain it.. When someobe's lying they tend to cover their mouth, they tend to repeat the lie (as if convincing themselvrs it's true), leaning away can be a sign of lying. It's just a combination of things that gives me that vibe.

 

Now, he could have lied for the sake of the love line. SJH actually has a boring name on his phone, he needs to make up something to stand out, and Mong is what he comes up with. It's also possible that's she's saved as something he can't say on air. Either way, Mong is her RM nickname. It's an easy one to cone up with on short notice. Because usually when under pressure you go with what you know: which would be her famous RM nickname.

 

When it's SJH's turn, and the cast members start questioning her name for KJK, she then switches tune and wonders if it "orabeoni". She's acting like she doesn't remember, but she literally named the other older men as orabeoni and KJK, in the middle  was specifically oppa. So it's not like she started listing orabeoni, got distracted and switched to oppa. She used orabeoni, then oppa, then back to orabeoni. To me, it appears she's starts backtracking when the others point out only KJK is oppa.

 

The segment was judged by the crew on how truthful/sincere the cast were, but really, if you're going to make a secret couple answer those type of questions, you should expect lying on related topics. The crew also play into the cast's characters. Such a voting JSJ to be the loser of the honesty round. HH the loser for not convincingly loving RM enough, etc.

 

So anyway, I think KJK lied about what name SJH has on his phone and what's actually on there is something he can't share. Obviously, I think that's because I think they're dating and his name for her is probably a give away, but it could also be him playing along with the loveline. 

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

21 minutes ago, Swan Solimo said:

I understand your view, but I'm really curious to know if there is anything that will make you think twice about their relationship-- that their relationship may not be romantic.

 

 

Lol I question whether they're dating constantly. What could X mean? What are the different interpretations of X? If I think something indicates they're not dating, then I weigh it against the evidence I have that they are dating. If the evidence that they're not dating totals out more than the evidence that they are dating, then I'll believe that they aren't dating.

 

Of course, unless a concrete story comes out about who KJK and SJH were dating in 2013-2015, I'll probably always believe they dated during that time period based on things I've seen and heard. It's not impossible that they dated, broke up, decided to remain friends, and then did a love line for RM. I've discussed this possibility a lot, but based on the timing of things and my own personal experiences with trying to be friends right after a break up, I think is the less likely option than they have dated for a very, very long time.

 

The RM cast definitely lie a lot more than we think. I usually assume there's some grain of truth in most the story they tell (because it's easiest to make up things based on what you know), but they exaggerate and stretch the truth for variety's sake or to hide things they don't want the audience to know.

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

4 hours ago, fs10 said:

@linzer03 Hi! Hope you've been well! Your posts keep me coming back to this forum. 

 

One thing i wonder about is the development of SJH's social media presence, along with recent changes to her 'character' on RM. Are the two related and part of a bigger plan of character development of 'SJH in RM'? Or not related- rather the changes in social media presence being a personal development of SJH?

 

 

I'm glad to hear my posts still have use to people after all these years. I cringe when I think of reading back over them lol

 

SJH starting to post more is interesting, but I don't particularly think it relates to SA. She's mentioned that she's trying to change up her image, which, to me, is a pretty believable reason.

 

In terms of SA... I would think them trying at build a character for her on RM hints that she's not planning on leaving RM on her own soon. Before LKS left, you could see his character being toned down a bit. Now, SJH doesn't have massive presence that LKS did, but she is one of the most popular cast members. I would think RM would place less emphasis on SA and them individually if they were planning on one or both were leaving the show. I personally don't think they'll get married, if they plan to, until RM ends. So this to me would indicate there's no marriage news on the horizon. But also, they could announce marriage tomorrow and I wouldn't be surprised.

 

@Swan Solimo I totally understand not wanting to speculate too much. I think we should always try to understand that celebs are human. They're going to make mistakes, make silly decisions, are going to be petty. They're going to do what's in their best interests and they are going to do things fir profit. Most lovelines are faje and purely for variety. The thing with SA is that we have 12 years to look at of interactions (albiet most of these interactions through the lens of RM). It's not only based on interactions while promoting a drama or even as a loveline. There is a lot of evidence indicating they dated well before it's in their best interests to play a loveline.

 

I'm curious why you don't think KJK and SJH aren't playing characters on PCIH? Their characters may not be the same as their RM characters, but they are still playing up a variety image. What do you think KJK shpuld have said in that situation if he was dating SJH, doesn't want to offend fans, and wants to keep it a secret? 

 

I'm so glad to hear from everyone! I thought this forum was dead lol. I hope you're all doing well and staying safe!

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

It's dangerous to take what the RM cast say at face value. RM is a product that they are trying to sell to the audience. In front of the cameras, YJS is going to say what he thinks will appeal to the audience. If that means supporting SA, he will. If that means supporting KJK with YEH, he will. This doesn't mean that YJS doesn't support SA in real life, just that what he says on the show is for the show first and foremost. 

 

I was talking to some other SA fans, and someone brought up the point that YJS's character in RM requires him to be opposed to what JSJ supports. Back when JSJ didn't believe SA could be real (e.g. made the joke about his assets), YJS was supportive of SA on the show. Now that JSJ is supportive of SA, YJS counters that by throwing doubt on SA. Basically, YJS's stance on SA during RM may simply be his character reacting to JSJ's character rather than any real opinion of his own.

 

KJK and SJH are also going to lie through their teeth about being a couple. KJK has said that he always lies about dating  and will lie until he gets married. On Problem Child, of course they're not going to admit to any attraction to each other and claim that they're only family. What else are they going to say? If you're dating in secret, that generally means you have to put sone effort into keeping it a secret.

 

Also, I have things to say about the phone contacts moment, but I'll get to that after work.

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

I'll post some of my thoughts on the recent episodes:

 

Ep 596: The Type B vs A+KJK + floating JSM episode

- Around 30:00 mins in. The cast is discussing blood types, and they can't believe SJH is type A. KJK is the one who cuts in to say that it suits he, as she's the type to bring up something from years ago and sulk. Another example of SA knowing each other outside of RM.

-The Chicken product placement. Around 56 mins into the ep. JSJ teases KJK to feed SJH when they're doing to product placement for friend chicken. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of moments where SA are doing something mundane and one of the cast members goes "You should kiss" or some other random thing. I wonder if the client wanted KJK and SJH to eat the friend chicken together, which is what caused JSJ to say that they should create a moment.

-KJK tells JSJ he's not going to be invited to SA's wedding. I don't put too much thought into this joke, since it's the kind of joke anyone could make if they were teased about their wedding. If we take everything they say at face value, then if SA gets married, poor JSJ is going to lose all his assets and he won't even get to go to the wedding.

-My favorite SA moment of the ep is probably when SJH misses the ball (around 1:16). The members' teasing works for me here because it came out of a naturally occurring moment. SJH missed the ball, they look at each other after, KJK smiles. It's a nice moment.

I think KJK-JSJ-SJH are actually a pretty good team (JSJ often tries to do well when he's on their team), but this was an ep with more physical games and the other team was YJS-YSC-HH.

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

How's everyone doing? It's been awhile since I posted on here...

 

Thankfully, KJK and SJH seem to be doing well. They at least haven't been avoiding each other like they did in 2020, which I half expected to happen after the loveline in 2021. 

 

I don't have a lot of faith in the RM cast being honest when they tell us things about their personal lives. They may have a truthful basis for the stories they tell, but they tend to exaggerate for variety's sake. If they are dating, then they're not in the open about it, so of course they're not going to say the full truth about their interactions.

 

Anyway, hope y'all are doing well! Excited for the next ep!

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

For those that haven't seen, someone posted recently that she saw KJK and SJH in LA together about two years ago. I have screenshots, but I don't want to post her username on a public forum. I'm also a bit cautious to share, because I don't want people tagging, KJK, SJH, or Tiny about this.

 

I'll transcribe what she said:

 

"They've been together for soooo long!! I don't know them before not a fan to them before when I saw them in LA. I only start watching RM a year ago that's when I started following Song Ji Hyo. Love her and funny Kwang So."

 

After being questioned by fans to say more, she added:

 

"I think almost 2 yrs ago. That's when I found out that they are popular in Korea. In here in the US once we see an actress or actor hi hello is enough like normal people. Confirm to HAHA lol"

 

"lol you guys really fanatic [] she's very pretty and kind she smile to all the people saying hello to her . That's why I started searching her name who she is now love all her movies and Running Man"

 

When asked if she was sure it was KJK and SJH:

 

"I think my eyes still clear knows who's who they are. I'm not a person taking pics once we saw a celebrity.. like I said I'm not a fanatic don't know them before but I've seen them clear in my eyes. Thank you"

 

"I also saw Song Hye Kyo and SJK in LA long time ago but like I said we treat them like normal regular people here. Most Americans doesn't even knows Korean celebrities."

 

My thoughts:

 

Well, if SA have been dating awhile, I would expect SJH to have accompanied him on an LA visit (or multiple). Two years ago would have been 2019-ish (before the pandemic). I would also expect them to be more open in LA. Like the person said, Americans don't really know K-celebs, and likely K-celebs get the VIP treatment in the Korean communities there. 

 

Please take this with a grain of salt. The person could be a fan making up rumors. I personally don't get that vibe, which is why I thought it'd be worth discussing. Again, please don't spam the poster or tag SA or their friends in posts about this. Thank you!

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

SBS Awards 2021!

 

Congratulations to YSC for the Top Excellence Award! I'm super happy for him! He's worked hard and struggled a lot in finding his role in RM and character separate from his comedian persona.

 

 

I was hoping for JSJ to get the daesang, but SBS gave him the Honorary Employee Award as a consolation prize instead. 

 

 

Also RM for Top Excellence in Variety Program. BoPil, in my opinion, has done a really good job this year. especially given LKS's departure.

 

 

Now for the SA moments:

 

As with most precious SBS Awards, SA stay together. I think the camera panned to them more often because they're in a popular loveline this year (and nominated for best couple).

 

Spoiler

I like to imagine SA are gossiping about SBS's management. More likely they were figuring out what they'd say in an acceptance speech.

Spoiler

When SBS was showing clips of the nominees for Best Couple, we can see SA's reactions in the bottom right:

Spoiler

A zoom in on that moment:

Spoiler

SA dancing:

Spoiler

SA gossiping about SBS again:

Spoiler

When presenting Best Couple Award, JSM and YSC asked KJK what he'd choose between best couple award with SJH or a daesang. Like any person with common sense, he picked daesang, but OF COURSE he had to cover SJH's ears so she couldn't heard. In my opinion, this moment was probably planned beforehand, but they made it look so natural.

Spoiler

 

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CXYzU-Cpcf6/

 

Something new to ponder over. The KJK-SJH-JSJ-HH quartet filming something on Sunday. RM usually doesn't film on Sundays (because that's YJS's day for his family), so it most likely isn't RM. CF? Outrun special? Any other theories?

 

On 12/9/2021 at 9:25 PM, Kim HaengBok said:

 I mean they somehow agreed to the LL must be because of some *still unknown* reason but definitely not because of ratings or to boost their popularity/get more profit. 

 

I wouldn't rule out profit/popularity boost as a motivator (especially since HH mentioned KJK may have an album coming out soon), but I don't think it can be the only motivator for all the reasons mentioned before. 

 

Also, Tiny is in SK. He also took a pic with SJH on what I presume was the same shoot with KJK-SJH-JSJ-HH. 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CXVk3tDPeZX/

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CXYF1ixvxQ7/

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

On 12/6/2021 at 5:37 AM, julia147 said:

I read somewhere that JH is actually really rich, the information is not up-to-date, but it is not about money.

Both of them do not need to raise the loveline for being famous, even though JK's youtube video is a big succeed, they are already popular ( top 10 tv variety star).

 

Unless they're terrible at managing money, they likely both have enough individually to retire and not work for the rest of their lives. I'm not talking insane numbers or anything like that, but consider that they've both had large, dedicated individual fandoms for near a decade, SJH will get paid a lot of all of her lead roles over the years, KJK was insanely popular as a singer well before RM, they both get advertising deals and participate in the massive RM fanmeets. KJK's youtube views make chump change to him lol. Money is not an issue for either of them. 

 

Why I don't think profit has no meaning to them, I can't see it as being the sole factor for their actions. They don't need to inconvenience themselves and start up rumors solely for the sake of making money or even boosting their careers.

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

Hey everyone!

 

Disney+ doesn't give access to Outrun in my area so I haven't been able to watch it yet. 

 

While I personally think SA are dating and have been dating for a long time, I don't think that means that RM and the SA loveline on RM isn't scripted. Every variety is scripted. RM obviously has some things that can't be scripted or would be very difficult to script, especially when playing games that rely on luck The RM cast members all have characters that they play, and those characters changed and develop in order to meet the audience's wants. SA is a popular ship. It was popular even back when MC was around, and it's only grown since KG got married and RM started giving us scripted moments. These scripted moments probably started occurring back in 2017, but I wouldn't call SA a loveline until 2019 when the cast openly started teasing them.

 

So when we look at SA and whether they're real or not, then we should look at the moments that likely aren't scripted and moments that are free from RM and SBS's editorial control. For instance, KJK choosing to invite SJH onto his youtube channel and encourage SA fans is likely a choice KJK made on his own. Their contracts with Disney+ also probably included a deal that they would play the SA loveline. So, this is not RM and SBS (entities SA have worked with for a long time) pushing the SA loveline, but KJK and SJH themselves actively choosing the loveline.

 

So then, we have to ask if KJK and SJH are choosing the loveline for money or because they're comfortable being open with their relationship or a mixture of both. Both KJK and SJH are popular as individuals, so they don't need the money, and I can't see it being reason enough for them to encourage all these rumors if they found the rumors inconvenient. For instance, if KJK or SJH suddenly announced marriage to another person after stirring up all this support for SA, there'd be a negative backlash. Considering their both in their forties, if they want to marry and start a family, they need to do so soon. I can't see them encouraging this loveline if they were in relationships with other people and planning to marry soon. The extra money from Disney+ doesn't seem worth the cost to KJK and SJH as individuals.

 

Now, if KJK and SJH are dating each other and have reached the point where they don't mind rumors about them circulating, then I can understand why they've decided to embrace the loveline this year. It may mean they're preparing themselves to marry in 2022, or it may simply mean they're past the point of caring about the consequences if their relationship is revealed to the public. I don't know. We can only respect their personal lives, and then wait and see what happens. 

 

Anyway, I'm enjoying the SA moments, both scripted and unscripted. Looking forward to SBS Awards this year.

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

6 hours ago, BlackLotus1025 said:

 

1. I believe SJH has already denied her relationship with a famous celebrity in the past because there was an episode when her friend visited and told them that everyone will be shocked if they found out who she dated in the past (I was thinking either Joo Ji Hoon or Jo In Sung because the guest said that ex-boyfriend of hers is pretty famous).

 

I don't know about Jo In Sung, but it's accepted knowledge that SJH dated Joo Ji Hoon. It's easy to search up, and you can see the disgruntled comments by people that shipped YEH with him lol. What a weird love square.

 

6 hours ago, BlackLotus1025 said:

2. They obviously have special feelings towards each other and Yu Jae Suk isn't the type to root for someone to someone if that someone's already taken (like how Kwang Soo was supposed to be in a love line with So Min, but he didn't react knowing Sun Bin has been dating KS already).

 

I agree with some of this and disagree with other parts. Firstly, I agree that SA seem to be "killing two birds with one stone", they were already dating but also their relationship is popular in the fandom. They seem much more relaxed with the loveline now than back in 2019.

 

However, I disagree with the emphasis placed on YJS's support of SA. I think the SA fandom tends to place a lot on YJS's comments rather than acknowledge that he is a professional and is doing his job. I've seen fans put too much stock in his words and then go into a spiral after YJS voices support of some other loveline (MC, KJK-HJY, etc.). Even recently, YJS has been saying how he's a fan of the JongYoon loveline. I'm not saying that YJS's reactions to SA have no meaning, but to hold it up as evidence that SA are dating ignores the fact that YJS is a professional MC who has been creating lovelines since the XMan days.

 

These last few episodes have been great on SA moments, and also the guests have been hilarious! I'm looking forward to Sunday!

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

On 9/2/2021 at 8:14 AM, Tarsstar14 said:

1) As I read SJH's latest interview and reading her denying romantic relations with KJK ("The loveline is not real" or "We're not seeing each other - there were different translations), I sort of deflected it because it did not make sense to me that a relationship announcement would be revealed in an interview.

 

2) With the resurgence of the SA loveline, I'm honestly not sure what to think. Is it wrong for me to think that the revival of the loveline is to help with the ratings or to create new dynamics? How do you guys feel about the resurgence of the SA loveline and your thoughts about their relationship?

 

Sorry that I haven't posted in awhile! I've been busy.

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to post your thoughts! And I'm glad people are still reading through this forum. I highly recommend checking out some of the older posts too. Both of these questions are things I've talked a lot about with other SA fans and mulled over, because I think they're important things to be considered. It'd be blind of us to dismiss these things without any thought, so I'll throw in my two cents.

 

1) SJH's interview. It's hard for me to take this as definitive proof that they're not dating, because we have seen celebrities deny a relationship and then shortly after reveal their marriage plans with the same person. KJK has even said in the past that he will deny until he's ready to announce. So my only big takeaway from the interview is that if they are dating, SA are likely not planning to announce in the next couple months. I know a lot of SA fans were speculating that we were rapidly heading towards an SA marriage announcement in the wake of the loveline return and the SA youtube videos, but there doesn't seem to be any reason to give an outright denial right now if they were heading towards a marriage announcement soon.

 

2) I always first assume that SBS and RM are trying to make money. I've been saying since 2016 that RM should use SA loveline and it's weird that they're so back and forth about it. So my first guess is that the SA loveline returned (the Yoo vs Kim Daesang ep is what I consider the official return of the loveline) to boost ratings. It's possible that LKS leaving pushed them to use to loveline, since LKS was obviously a big presence in the show. The SA Youtube videos then probably pushed SA into even more of a hot topic and resulted in the increased screen time.

 

All that being said, in my opinion, SA seem much more comfortable with their loveline now than they did back in 2019. They seemed to be against the loveline back then, or at least reluctant at times (with a few exceptions, of course). This may be in part because there was friction between them and the PD at the time, or SA weren't ready to have their relationship thrown into the spotlight to that degree. Who knows. But now, you have KJK inviting SJH to his youtube channel as his first guest and making those editing decisions. This decision does not involve SBS or RM, so we can say that the loveline is not being forced on him for the sake of ratings. He chose, in this case, to support the loveline on his personal youtube channel. We an definitely argue that KJK invited SJH knowing that they're a hot topic and it would increase views, but in that case, it would still mean that KJK was willing to incite rumors about him and SJH.

 

As I said in previous post, SA can be a real relationship and be a loveline. These things are not mutually exclusive. However, we do now have to look at all of SA's 2021 interaction and ask, "Is this scripted?" Things like KJK knowing the SJH needed a water bottle and taking the lid off for her during the fanmeet, I would assume is not scripted, but part of their natural interactions. If SA started acting suspiciously only now, then I wouldn't think they were dating, and I would dismiss it as part of the loveline. The thing is SA have had suspicious interactions for years, dating back to 2012-2013 era. There's a whole lot of moments and bts rumors leading up to why a number of think they're dating even if the loveline exists solely for ratings.

 

I was talking about this with another SA fan, but at a certain point you have to ask: how many of these interactions are too much? I'm sure I can find moments of KJK interacting with JSM or SJH interacting with any of the other male members that would look suspicious, but how many of these moments of KJK paying too much attention to SJH or SA taking special notice of each other, how many moments do we need before we say "This goes beyond friendship."

 

That ended up a lot longer than I intended, but I figured I'd share some of my thoughts. It might be a nonsense mess, but feel free to ask more questions.

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

14 hours ago, Xonos said:

On Jessie, she already create(?) loveline with co-host Lee Sang Yeob in the latest episode on The Sixth Sense. Definitely watch it though as it is another fun variety show by some of the RM hosts such as Yoo Jae Suk and Jeon So Min. So on the surface, it would seems that even Jessie already give up on KJK (due to SA?) and move on.

 

Who knows how much say Jessie had in that loveline on MUD. Regardless, that loveline seems gone. It never had much chemistry imo.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CR1hBL_txQD/

 

Anyway the newest SA update is GYM Jong Kook added English titles to his videos and used the word "spartace" on both of them. Also, KJK's youtube channel changing their video titles three times in a short period lol. They went from "Spartace at GYM Jong Kook's place..." to ""Spartace at GYM Jong Kook's place... to workout" to "Home work out! "Spartace at GYM Jong Kook's place to workout" on the first video, and "Spartace working out together?!" to "Home workout with Song, Ji Hyo part.2" So interestingly, the initial video titles were rather suggestive and then they got edited to be less so. The use of "spartace" is suggestive in and of itself, of course.

 

I don't know if KJK himself is changing the video titles (the English errors in the summaries, like using "seeking for", indicate it might be), but regardless, I think the usage of "spartace" in the titles was approved by KJK. Which is the most proactive I've seen him in a loveline since YEH. And his loveline with YEH was back when he was young. He's in his forties now and doesn't need a loveline, so it's interesting that he's showing support for spartace. This change is also occurring after the videos have been up for quite so time and views have slowed down, so it can't be to boost views. (I mean, obviously I think they're the real deal and that's why he's doing it, but anyone has any other reasons, please do share.)

 

Please share your thoughts!

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

6 hours ago, Xonos said:

I always have the thoughts that one of the main reason that holding SA make their relationship official (if it is true) is RM. As long as RM not going down or you know, one of them make any official announcement on their relationship, that's as long as we will keep wondering and ship SA.

 

I agree that at least a big contributing factor was the continuing existence of RM. If KJK was in a long term relationship with someone else, there's really nothing stopping him from announcing his marriage. In fact, marriage and a family would probably open up more opportunities in the variety world for him. His role as the eternal bachelor at his current age does not draw as much attention as it did when he was in his thirties. SJH's a bit of a different matter, as I think getting married and starting a family may force her retirement from RM. But as an actress, I don't think she needs RM for her career in the same way that some other members of the RM cast do.

 

One thing that always stood out to me was, after the SA firing and RM was ending, YJS said, "It would be best if SA got married." It's a moment that isn't driven by a loveline since RM was ending, and I think was YJS voicing his support should SA announce after RM had ended. Then, when the decision that RM should resume came about, KJK's special came out as him trying to find love with a female guest. It's interesting that, at that time, when RM was ending SA became a possibility, and then when RM resumed, the RM cast quickly changed their tune.

 

6 hours ago, Xonos said:

Regarding on their continuous exposure of their moments, well on SA side I can only hope that they do that for gradual exposure and readiness to officially announce the good news for their fans and us. Coz you know, as celebrities there are many things need to consider before officiate anything especially relationship...So instead of coming as a shock, they rather tease (release) the "news" bits by bits...

 

I don't know if the SA loveline that we've seen in 2019 and now 2021 was necessarily SA's choice. It may be that SBS/RM production decided to use the SA loveline for a ratings boost. Perhaps it's just me, but as the 2019 loveline continued, I got the vibe that SJH and especially KJK were not big fans of performing the loveline. I'm not saying that they don't like being romantically linked to one another at all, but a number of times they came off as rather stiff when performing actions in the loveline.

 

I always thought this moment came off as awkward, and I wonder if they were directed to use that word after the popularity of the scene where KJK calls her "yeobo" in a previous episode.

 

 

 

 

Btw, this ep where HH teases them constantly is one of my least favorite parts of the loveline. Like really? Putting music for them locking pinky fingers? After getting forced to do it if they want food? Really?

 

For comparison:

 

 

Anyway, SA seem much more relaxed with the loveline this time. Perhaps they like the current PD better, perhaps they like his style of making the loveline into skits rather than trying to pass it off as genuine moments, perhaps they are nearing an announcement and are more okay with the attention on their relationship. Who knows. And, like I said previously, KJK inviting SJH as the first guest on his youtube channel, despite knowing that it would spark rumors, at least shows that he's okay with being romantically linked to her.

 

I also think that since the change in PDs in early 2020, KJK has not been in any lovelines on RM. At most, one of the RM cast members will tease him with a guest and KJK will shut it down quickly (e.g. Kim Jae Kyung in ep 504, Seol In Ah in ep 552). He has had lovelines on MUD (Jessie), but I think KJK has more of a say in RM than MUD. Anyway, it's interesting that he seems to have distanced himself from other lovelines but is okay with being romantically linked to SJH.

 

Anyway, I don't know if the increase in SA moments in 2021 is leading up to anything. All we can do is wait and see.

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

On 7/23/2021 at 8:41 AM, YeJin25 said:

 

 

Spartace is not scripted. Spartace is not a loveline and never been an loveline. KJK and JH closeness are still the same even in the presence of MC, they are close on and off camera. Kim Jong Kook dont want to have a loveline in RM and it was mentioned in the earlier episode of rm.  

The true Spartace Shippers never aknowledge Spartace as Loveline. 

 

 

Being in a relationship in real life and being in a loveline are not mutually exclusive things. SBS and RM are businesses, here to make money. Don't doubt that they would not take advantage of a real life relationship if it meant increasing ratings and profits earned from Running Man - see LKS and LSB guesting n RM for an example. Lovelines are scripted by production and acted by the cast in order to increase screen time for certain cast members and guests as well as draw in viewers and ratings. This does not mean that every loveline is real. The vast majority of lovelines are fake. But that also doesn't mean that behind the loveline there cannot be a real relationship.

 

KJK not wanting to be in a loveline with SJH at the beginning of RM is rumor, not confirmed. I can come up with a number of reasons why he would not want the loveline: it gives a chance for newer variety members to get screen time, KJK himself may have been at the end of one of his long term relationships and potentially looking to get married. KJK is also not psychic and cannot predict in 2010 that he might end up dating his female coworker. Considering that KJK has been in a number of lovelines since, KJK clearly did not reject all lovelines. He even had a long-term cross-show loveline with HJY the year before RM started heavily pushing SA as a couple.

 

If you've read through the posts here, you'll see that I believe SA are most likely dating in real life and have been since 2013. When KG was on the show and MC was a part of RM, SA is never painted by production as a romantic possibility. The only exception being the ice pepero game that SA failed at. When KG was part of the show, all the suspicious SA moments that fans like to point out tend to happen in background, off to the side, and not the focus of the camera shot.

 

Fast forward to after KG left the show and got married. With MC gone, the SA fandom becomes the biggest shipping fandom in the RM community. While I think most people would agree that SA wasn't an official loveline through 2017-2018, that doesn't mean that there weren't scripted SA moments. Things like the fortune teller declaring SA as the best match, things like the Running Man cast suddenly mentioning SA's marriage rumors, those were likely planned by production. Though, in my opinion, SA moments in that era were more production choosing not to edit out SA moments that they would have removed during the MC era. But things like guesting on one another's shows, like MUD and Pajama Friends, is something a loveline would do. KG and SJH guested on a number of shows together: Please Take Care of My Refrigerator, SBS Midnight TV Entertainment, etc. But just because lovelines do these things as well, it doesn't bar the fact that SA can be real. SA can be in a real life relationship, while TV shows want to take advantage of the fact that people ship them and use them for views. These things are not mutually exclusive.

 

Fast forward again to 2019. RM's new popular loveline KwangMin has just been ruined by the announcement that LKS is dating LSB. Suddenly we have SJH volunteering to be KJK's love interest. You don't think these two events are unrelated? RM production even wrote an episode, Commander versus Ace, that revolves around their winning a couple race. Now, that doesn't mean every moment during the active SA loveline was scripted. I think the first "yeobo" moment was KJK's own invention, judging by the surprised and amused reaction to the cast and crew. Regardless, during the episodes where SA couple was front and center, they were teased like a loveline, they were given captions like a loveline. In one RM opening YJS even joked that KJK is SJH's second love interest on the show - the first being KG. Which implies that SA at that time was a loveline like MC was.

 

 

Again, just because there are scripted moments and teasing, it does not mean that SA can't be a relationship in real life as well. There are and were still moments of SA being suspicious in the background, off to the side, not in the focus of the shot.

 

 

There are also moments that go beyond what RM usually does with its lovelines. Things like KJK hugging SJH in the elevator after ripping off her nametag? RM has never made its other lovelines hug like that, and we've seen KJK do something similar during the MC era.

 

Now obviously the heavy teasing of the SA loveline ended rather quickly and abruptly compared to other lovelines like MC, KwangMin, ChanMin, etc. I've seen a lot of speculation as to why they stopped the SA loveline: some people say they broke up, some people say they got together, some people say both KJK and SJH were against the loveline. Who knows, but we definitely saw a steep decrease in SA moments in 2020. Interestingly, we have seen a lot more SA in the first half 2021. Are some moments scripted? Probably? Are some moments genuine? Probably. RM production can script SA moments, and SA can still be a real couple. These things can both be true.

 

What stands out to me now is KJK's choice to have SJH as his first guest on Gym Jong Kook. KJK is the director of his youtube channel. There is no broadcasting station behind his youtube channel. The decisions for his guest list are his own. Now, an argument can be made that KJK had SJH guest for the viewership boost. Except KJK didn't need that boost as his youtube channel was already insanely successful. If he really wanted to distance himself from the rumors and shipping fandom, he could have simply not had her guest. He also has shown no desire to follow up her guesting with more celebrity guests. His next video is him alone working out. His next guests are two of his close friends who are part of his inner circle. We've seen a number of celebrities mention wanting to collaborate with KJK on his youtube channel: Rain, Ha Do Kwon, Kim Dong Hyun. KJK has no shortage of celebs to choose from if he wanted to use guests to boost his viewership. The fact that he has instead chosen to do solo videos and videos with his inner circle, I don't think he's chasing after views for the sake of views. So why did he choose SJH as his first guest? To help her promote her drama? That may be part of the reason, but considering RM was going to dedicate a whole episode to her drama, I don't think there was any driving need for the promotion.

 

Many of the front and center SA moments on RM can be argued to be part of a loveline and scripted. RM is a business, looking for viewers and profits. If it means taking advantage of the SA fandom, then RM will do it regardless of whether KJK and SJH want to bring their relationship - romantic or platonic - to the public's attention. The youtube guesting stands out because it is all KJK's choice, knowing that it would spark more SA rumors.

 

On 7/23/2021 at 8:41 AM, YeJin25 said:

Hi everyone, it's been a long time that i never visit this thread, i hope you all doing fine. I miss the old times with the old shippers here. Keep on sailing spartace shippers!

 

I'm glad to hear my old posts are valued by the fandom. Thanks for the welcome back, and I hope more people return to the forum to discuss SA.

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

On 7/20/2021 at 12:47 AM, kimmongji01 said:

It's been a while. I hope you guys are doing well. Anyone of you watch the Running Man latest episode? JK fix JH hair in that episode and it was a heart fluttering moment. These days, Spartace are feeding us not just crumbs but 'whole' bread. 

 

I did watch the latest ep! It was a cute moment! I was curious if RM would give us an obvious spartace moment in the wake of the youtube videos receiving such a positive response, and they did. Though, this latest ep was filmed before the youtube videos of SA were released.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CRdj70uFIID/

 

I've seen spartace fans talking about how it's a complete boyfriend move, but I have to disagree with that. Firstly, we have seen LKS take care of SJH in such situations in the past, and we've also seen YSC take care of SJH when she needs help with small things. So I don't think helping SJH with her hair when she asks is a move limited to boyfriends. I also don't think KJK would have refused to help if a female guest had asked him to help in a similar situation. I mean, way back in 2014, we saw KJK help HJY when she had dirt in her eyes by blowing on it. KJK said that it'd be rude to say no when SJH asked outright - and that's true. I also don't find the members' teasing anything special, as I think they would say much the same things if SJH had been a guest asking for help.

 

Now that I've said, onto the things that stood out to me about the moment. Firstly, KJK was a lot quicker to respond to SJH's request for help than I would expect him to be for anyone else. Unless there was some joke dynamic set up between him and the guest before hand, I would expect KJK to hesitate if a female guest or even JSM asked him for help during a game when he wasn't on their team, ask "Why me?" etc. When SJH asked, there was pretty much zero hesitation on his part, as if he expected her to ask or was used to it.

 

The second thing that stood out to me was SJH's smile in response to the staff's "ooooh". She's practically glowing. Which is a bit of an odd response if the person who helped her was just a friend. I can't imagine her smiling like that if people teased her for having LKS or YSC help.

 

Unfortunately, after KG left the show and the members started acknowledging there could be something between SA, I feel as though every SA moment like this must be met with the question "Is this scripted?" This got even more obvious after 2019 when SA briefly became a loveline. I actually don't think this moment was scripted based on the staff's audible reaction and the fact that KJK tries to explain rather than silently accept the teasing as he often does. In fact, KJK's response reminded me a lot of ep 437 where HH tries to get KJK to teach SJH ddakji. KJK swears at HH and says he's not doing this for him.

[[Official] SPARTACE COUPLE KimJongkook-SongJiHyo]

On 7/10/2021 at 8:55 AM, julia147 said:

A little off topic, i have known this forum since 2017, all the thoughtful and nice comments here keep me coming back everytime.

As i dont have much time to watch RM anymore, i did not come back this forum for a year or more, im really glad that this forum (of spartace) is still active with alot of nice people with sharp eyes, open-minded and best manner.

wish you all the best in this difficult year.

 

No worries and thank you for sharing your thoughts! I also took some time off from this forum, though I remained cheering for SA. I hope you have time to stop by now and again for some SA updates!

 

 

New SA workout video posted on KJK's Youtube channel! Hopefully, it's not the last we see of SJH on his channel.

 

I see a lot of people thinking that she's a newbie at working out based on these videos, but I'm pretty sure SA discussed beforehand a decided to go with the newbie concept for SJH. That way, she could ask more basic questions and KJK could point out proper posture. It's also motivating for exercise newbies to see someone else persevere through a workout rather than someone who's already fit. But we've seen SJH do situps and other exercise on RM, and she's mentioned working out in interviews. She's also an actress. They usually have diets and physical training, especially when filming. They're also both variety veterans and know how to create these dynamics to make things engaging for viewers.

 

I do love these videos because we get to see SA interact in an environment that isn't dictated by a major network. Unlike RM, MUD, or Pajama Friends, where KJK and SJH may be instructed by production to play up the loveline concept, this channel belongs to KJK. What they choose to show and what concepts they choose to use are his choices, not a network' or PD's. It's nice seeing how naturally he reaches out to help her, how his voice softens when it seems like she's having a hard time or when she makes him laugh, and how they have fun with each other. Also, SJH has advertised KJK's restaurant and water Miro 700 throughout these videos. What a loyal girlfriend lol.

 

The editing choice to throw in the kdrama like song and picture montage made me laugh. Before anyone gets too excited, that song is a staple in SK variety shows when things go wrong. One thing I find interesting, though, is that KJK doesn't need SA to promote his channel. He's already had a massive positive response to the channel. If the channel had done poorly or even so-so, I could see him bringing SJH in to boost views, but considering the channel's massive success there's no reason for him to needlessly spark SA dating rumors with these videos.

 

Looking forward to HH and JSJ complaining on RM that SJH never appeared on their channels, but was the first guest on KJK's. I'll be disappointed if it isn't mentioned this Sunday lol. Hopefully KJK brings SJH back when he needs another guinea pig for his youtube channel.