The ‘Brawn’ and ‘Brain’ Kim Jong Kook

Kim Jong Kook is known for his brawn. It’s obvious by looking his muscle. Every guest who came to Running Man were afraid of him, except Choi Min Soo and Choo Sung Hoon. Swimming athlete, Park Tae Hwan was a witness when Lee Kwang Soo became a victim of the Commander and after he saw LKS’s mess, he said ‘this is why everybody is afraid of Jong Kook hyung’.  The Commander Kim Jong Kook’ becomes a target to every male guest who comes to RM.

But, Kim Jong Kook is not only known for his brawn but also for his brain. RM loyal viewers must know that KJK is the smartest member after ‘brain’ Joong Ki left the show. We can see his ‘brain work’ in many episodes. In hide and seek game, KJK is the only member who use special method in chasing. He’s not only chasing but he used brilliant method by ambushing. In episode 53, there was a mission, wrap the food in order. His team (KJK, Song Ji Hyo and Ji Suk Jin) was the only team who succeed the mission in one try (JSJ is known for his brain too and of course SJH, the Ace. No wonder their team was the best).

In episode 54, Choi Kang Hee and Ji Sung were guests. KJK was in the same team with Haha and Choi Kang Hee. When they had a mission biking around the park, his team was the team who succeed in one try. Because of KJK’s sharpness, they found out that they had to answer ahjuma’s tracksuit’s color they saw when they bike. He claimed that he was a Joseon detective.

In episode 79, it’s detective episode when JSJ became the culprit. KJK was the first member who found the clue. He found the clue of the culprit name initial from Sherlock Holmes novel (even SJH, the one who found the novel couldn’t find out the clue). And of course, because of KJK’s brain and brawn, they became a winner in that episode by receiving blue sapphire necklace and special ‘detective’ name tag.

In episode 99, he ruined the spy’s plan by using his sharp analysis. The spy Haha said that KJK was a Joseon detective because he succeeded revealing Haha and LKS as spies. In episode 135, Jacky Chan and Super Junior Siwon were the guests. KJK was the first person who revealed the next location. He’s the first person who found the method how to find the place by rolling the paper around a pen.

KJK is called the commander for no reason. He’s smart, sharp, and genius. Of course in real life he’s the smart person. He comes from smart family. His dad is in army; his older brother is a doctor. In the past, he studied hard to enter medical school as his brother. He graduated his master degree in 2011. On latest episode, 217, KJK won the game because he used smart tactic. After he won, he said that brain is important than power, people must use their brain than their power. But indeed he has both, brain and brawn. 

In Running Man episode 231, there was a mission which asked them to remove their name tag without their own hands. While the others tried to remove it by usual method (YJS called it cave man method). KJK went to wall door, stick his name tag between the crack and quickly removed his name tag.