“The comedian next to Yoo Jae Suk” revealed the story behind his sudden disappearance at the peak of his popularity.
On the 23rd, Jung Chul Kyu, a former KBS 19th generation public recruit comedian, appeared on MBN’s Exclusive World and shared his story.
Jung Chul Kyu, who gained attention by winning a rookie award right after debuting with the character “Blanca,” said he ends each day by writing in his diary. Showing his precious diary, he explained, “These are like talismans to me.” He added, “Until two years ago, when I came home late at night, it wasn’t snacks or ramen I had but alcohol. Early signs of alcoholism, addiction to antidepressants, sleeping pills—it was when my mental health was shaky that writing helped relieve my stress, so that’s when I started.”
Jung recalled, “For six months, I was ranked number one among comedians on portal sites’ real-time charts. My face was on buses, my story was on the radio, and celebrities imitated my way of speaking. It was exactly like waking up to find I had become a star.”
Why did he suddenly disappear at the height of his popularity? Jung explained, “I was popular for a year and two months, but people around me told me, ‘You can only survive if you erase the Blanca image,’ so I ended up hating Blanca. My daily routine was waking around 11 a.m., buying a hamburger, a bottle of beer, and a bottle of soju at a convenience store. I relied on sleeping pills and antidepressants every day. Staying awake was painful.” The unexpected fame was a heavy burden, and the stress about his next project led to severe depression that lasted ten years.