The unexpected double life of a star

We live in an era where ‘work-life balance’ is important. However, many people are at a loss as to how to heal in their busy daily lives. For those who need healing, we introduce the hobbies of celebrities.

There are stars who constantly think and challenge themselves about what hobbies and qualities they will pursue after work.

Kang Dong-won also became a hot topic by revealing that collecting ‘monster stuffed toys’ is his hobby. When he said that he found monster characters attractive, some male netizens gave him jealous looks, saying, "Since your face is like a sculpture, aren't dolls collecting monster characters?"

There is also an idol who falls in love with tropical fish. Block B's Taeil, who is about to release his solo album, is a self-proclaimed 'tropical fish fanatic.' Taeil, who has been raising tropical fish since he was 20 years old, said on MBC's 'The Talented' in the past, "I am raising about 600 to 700 tropical fish. “I have a separate room to raise fish,” he confessed. Taeil was recognized as a true 'tropical fish fanatic' by guessing the names of all 16 species of Corydoras that he mainly keeps.

Actress Nam Gyu-ri is into fighting. Nam Gyu-ri is said to be a renowned talent in a fighting game. In particular, Nam Gyu-ri drew attention by confidently winning the championship by defeating the world champion at a fighting game event held in the past.

'National MC' Yoo Jae-seok's special habit was memorizing names. He is said to cherish every single one of his relationships, to the point where he remembers not only the names of the production crew members he worked with, but even the names of his colleagues' fathers. Lee Hwi-jae, who saw this, exclaimed, “It’s not really easy.”

Actor Lee Jang-woo recently passed the yacht rowing license test. On MBC's 'I Live Alone' that aired recently, Lee Jang-woo boasted, "After watching Key member challenge for the Western-style cooking technician certification, I started learning some skills as a hobby. I got 2 wrong in my handwriting out of 50."

Jangwoo Lee took the test on the third day after two days of training. Lee Jang-woo, who passed the exam after a long time and fulfilled his bucket list, chose Bali as the place he most wanted to visit by yacht and said, "I think I'll go in two weeks. I used to ride a lot of old yachts, but when I turned 50, I gave up everything and went to a place like Naples and lived abroad for 10 years. “I don’t want to come back from here. I’m currently looking for a small boat,” he said with satisfaction.

Comedian Kwak Hyun-hwa relieves stress through studying. He also published a math book, taking advantage of his background as a graduate of Ewha Womans University's Department of Mathematics. Kwak Hyun-hwa appeared on a broadcast program and said, "Pre-studying for mathematics is important, and I previewed 'The Essentials of Mathematics' three times before entering high school."

Celebrities' unique hobbies not only relieve stress but also serve as a starting point for a different life. One way to gain vitality from a tiring life is by referring to the mentioned hobbies. Let’s learn about the various hobbies of celebrities and enjoy our daily lives more meaningfully.

Ryu Ye-ji, Ten Asia Reporter ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr