Kim Jae Joong has opened up about a difficult side of being known for his striking appearance, revealing that he was sometimes targeted by older students during his school years.
On August 15, Kim Jae Joong appeared on the YouTube channel Kkondaehee, where he looked back on his younger days and shared stories about the attention his appearance brought him.
According to Kim Jae Joong, standing out at school sometimes led to uncomfortable and frightening situations.
He recalled, “Life was difficult. I wondered why they kept hitting me. Since my school days, students who were pale or looked different from them would be told to lower their eyes. If you didn’t, seniors would take you to a back alley.”
Kim Jae Joong also remembered one incident in which older students confronted him after hearing that a girl they considered attractive was interested in him.
He said, “The older guys dragged me away because a pretty girl said she liked me. They told me to follow them to the rooftop.”
Because of those experiences, Kim Jae Joong said he developed a habit of avoiding eye contact and looking toward the ground while walking.
“I looked at the ground a lot because I didn’t want to make eye contact. I even took longer routes between home and school,” he explained.
Kim Jae Joong said those memories are one reason he sympathizes with people who naturally receive a lot of attention for their appearance.
He added, “I really support people who are naturally very handsome. There are many difficult parts. It can be uncomfortable. People around you take photos, and you can’t always eat however you want because you’re still thinking about your expression.”
Now in his 40s, Kim Jae Joong said he feels more relaxed and no longer puts as much pressure on himself over how he appears to others.
His comments offered a more personal look at how the attention surrounding his appearance affected him long before his debut and how his perspective has changed over time.
