Kim Junsu’s Sassiest Reaction To Kim Jaejoong’s Encounter With Lee Soo Man Goes Viral

For “OT5” TVXQ fans, seeing former members Kim Junsu and Kim Jaejoong back on public television has been emotional, given the two JYJ members had not been able to appear on music and entertainment programs after the dramatic fallout from SM Entertainment in 2009.

For that reason, the latest episode of KBS‘s Stars’ Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant—in which Kim Junsu and Kim Jaejoong guest together and share the most close-to-heart stories about their time as TVXQ—has been dubbed a treasure.

In the episode, while talking about how he “[doesn’t] want to hide [his] past as TVXQ,” Kim Jaejoong brought up how, at the beginning of it all, there was Lee Soo Man.

Kim Jaejoong: For me, I don’t want to hide and beat around what happened in the past. I don’t feel ashamed of my time as TVXQ. I don’t hate it.

Kim Junsu: Of course not.

Kim Jaejoong: Right? Sure, we made some terrible memories. But we have some beautiful ones, too. We definitely had some good times. We can’t deny that. And… we came to life because of him. He’s the one who produced us and put us into the world. So, I’m grateful for him.

Kim Junsu: Yeah, I agree.

When he talked about his encounter with Lee Soo Man on the same flight, though, Kim Junsu couldn’t help but react with a bit of sass.

Kim Jaejoong: That’s why, when I ran into him on a flight, I wrote him a letter. I told him that, despite what went down, I was grateful for him…

Kim Junsu: And he said?

Kim Jaejoong: He just pat me on the back and told me to keep working hard.

The caption, when Kim Junsu reacts, reads, “뭐라고 하셨어?” or “What did he say?” in the Korean honorific. But in audio, Kim Junsu actually says, “뭐래?” or “He said what?” in  Korean informal. Hence, it has been assumed that KBS “softened” the reaction, better fit for public television.

뭐래?

…뭐래진짜 걍 내 마음이 뭐래였음ㅋㅋㅋ pic.twitter.com/iinkeINBlo

— 𝑷𝑨 (@PA_kjs) October 18, 2024

Following the episode, Kim Junsu’s tone and manner went viral across online communities—with viewers pointing out how the short and savage the reaction is (and, perhaps, “rightfully so”). Some commented, given Kim Junsu’s usual character of extreme politeness, the reaction shows his true feelings about Lee Soo Man as a person. Others commented that his reaction isn’t quite savage enough, considering the drama that Lee Soo Man put him through.

• “Aw, Junsu.”
• “Haha, this is hilarious.”
• “Kim Junsu is the type of guy who uses honorifics to objects when he can. LOL. His tone and manner in that reaction says a lot, it’s hilarious.”

• “Lee Soo Man is lucky Kim Junsu didn’t start cursing him out right then and there, haha.”
• “Show respect to a former boss who f*cked me over for a decade and more? Absolutely not. I could never.”
• “Even ‘뭐래’ is very much filtered, IMO…”

• “Maybe Junsu would have said a lot more if the cameras weren’t there, haha. Kim Jaejoong is the more forgiving one for sure. I think most of us would be more like Kim Junsu.”
• “Yo, I would’ve been like, ‘Oh yeah? And what the f*ck did his old a*s say?’ So…”

Read more about the letter that Kim Jaejoong wrote to Lee Soo Man here:

Former TVXQ Member Praised For How He Handled His Encounter With “Nemesis” Lee Soo Man