Taking a bold step towards an unknown future is always scary. Recently, Gary shared his thoughts about leaving the SBS show "Running Man" and his "Monday Couple" tandem with Song Ji Hyo.
"Running Man" is one of South Korea's long-running variety programs that was able to retain most of its original cast members. Of the eight-member celebrity team, only two exited the show namely "Descendants of the Sun" actor Song Joong Ki and Gary who left in 2011 and late 2016, respectively.
Both the two South Korean celebrities' exit surprised avid viewers of the SBS program. In a recent interview with Chinese news media Sina Entertainment, as cited by Soompi, Gary shared that he will always have fond memories of his time in "Running Man" since it was his first variety show.
However, the repercussions of leaving the show weighed heavily in Gary's mind. Not wanting to disappoint his fans, he was worried that his departure will paint him in a bad light, according to the musician.
Given that Gary spent six years running around various parts of South Korea with cast members Song, Yoo Jae Suk, Kim Jong Kook, Haha, Lee Kwang Soo and Ji Suk Jin, deciding to step away from the SBS show to focus on his music career was a big step. Despite his apprehensions, the "Running Man" alum gained strength from the encouraging messages that he received from his fans.
The rapper stated, "When I received encouraging responses from people who said they were waiting for my music, I was really grateful. I'm going to work harder to make music and communicate with my fans."
Loyal viewers of the SBS program might have lost one half of the "Monday Couple" tandem, but Gary remained supportive of his former cast members' activities. Apart from appearing as a guest in several "Running Man" episodes, he even gave a special performance during the cast's recent fan meeting event held in Taiwan, Korea Herald reported.
"Running Man" cast members are set to travel to Macau, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore for the remaining leg of their fan meeting tour. Watch one of Gary's guest appearances in the SBS variety show below: