Ahn Jae-hong Reflects on 'SNL Korea' Experience and International Fame

Actor Ahn Jae-hong candidly shared his thoughts on appearing on 'SNL Korea' during a recent episode of the YouTube show 'Salon Drip 2'.

On October 10, actors Ra Mi-ran and Ahn Jae-hong appeared on 'Salon Drip 2'. The duo, who first worked together 11 years ago on the drama 'Reply 1988', reunited for the film 'High Five', sparking interest among fans.

During the show, Ra Mi-ran commented on Ahn Jae-hong's character Joo Oh-nam from the Netflix series 'Mask Girl', saying, "Everyone around me was talking about it. They called it his 'retirement work', and when I watched it, it was sadly fitting."

When Jang Do-yeon expressed curiosity about Joo Oh-nam's belly fat, Ahn Jae-hong humorously revealed, "I put something in my stomach. It was intentionally made to look unattractive, but everyone thought it was real."

Ra Mi-ran also shared her thoughts on Ahn Jae-hong's appearance on 'SNL Korea 7', saying, "I thought he would be flying high after playing such a strong character like Joo Oh-nam, but he seemed shy. He needs to do more."

Ahn Jae-hong admitted, "I felt a lot of reality checks. Performing live with an audience felt different from regular filming."

Recalling his most challenging moment, he mentioned dressing up as Angelo, a member of the idol group T.M.I, saying, "My eyes got teary. It was my first time saying 'gyaru', but it was fun."

When asked if he would accept another offer from 'SNL', Ahn Jae-hong humorously replied, "I think it was a really good experience," eliciting laughter.

Meanwhile, Ahn Jae-hong gained significant popularity in China from a single capture from 'Reply 1988'. The scene, where he holds a lotus lantern with a serene expression, became a meme symbolizing 'inner peace'.

Ahn Jae-hong shared, "I became popular in China and shot a car commercial a few years ago. The local staff somehow knew about the capture and asked me to sign it. They called me 'Buddha Man', meaning I remain undisturbed like Buddha," he said with a smile.

Reported by Kim Eun-jung, TenAsia. eun@tenasia.co.kr