Super Junior’s Kim Heechul has explained why he decided to leave JTBC’s Knowing Bros after appearing on the program for 11 years.

During an August 1 video on the YouTube channel Egen Man Swings, Heechul said the show’s weekly filming schedule began to conflict with Super Junior’s 20th-anniversary tour.

He explained, “Knowing Bros films every Thursday. During Super Junior’s 20th-anniversary tour last year, our concerts were usually held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.”

He continued, “Sometimes I had to miss filming on Thursday, or the production team had to record twice because of me.”

Heechul said he did not want his personal schedule to create difficulties for the cast and production team. He also shared that working with Kang Ho Dong taught him to place viewers first.

He said, “For Ho Dong hyung, the viewers always come first. Whether he is tired, has a broken leg, or has a cold, he believes maintaining the viewers’ trust is what matters.”

Heechul added, “After meeting Ho Dong hyung, my attitude toward broadcasting changed a lot.”

He then recalled something Kang Ho Dong often said during long recording sessions.

He shared, “When it became 4 a.m. and everyone started getting sleepy, Ho Dong hyung would say, ‘No. It may be 4 a.m. for us, but it is 6 p.m. for the viewers.’”

Heechul admitted that the statement made him reconsider how performers should approach their work.

He also briefly discussed his income during Super Junior’s early years. Because the group had a large lineup, earnings were divided among many members, and television appearances did not always produce immediate profit.

He said, “Back then, appearing on television often left us in the negative. We did not earn as much as some other groups, but we still received enough to live.”

Heechul then revealed that his individual earnings increased after he became a regular cast member of Knowing Bros.

He stated, “Since I was earning individually while doing Knowing Bros, I did make more than during my Super Junior days.”

His comments showed that the decision to leave was mainly connected to scheduling difficulties and his desire to respect the program, its production team, and the viewers.