Running Man Brothers

Running Man Brothers is a South Korean pop duo, which is named after the South Korean television show Running Man. The group is composed of cast members Kim Jong-kook and Haha and was formed in 2014.^[1]

Running Man Brothers
Running Man Brothers, Haha and Kim Jong-kook in Dallas, December 14, 2014
Background information
Origin	Seoul, South Korea
Genres	K-pop, electropop, hip-hop, reggae fusion, Dance, Ballad, Trot
Years active	2014–present
Labels	Urban Works ENT (2014-Present)
Members	Kim Jong-kook, Haha

History

Kim and Haha are regular cast members on the variety show Running Man, which started airing in 2010, and they have been called its favorite "duo."^[2] Although Yoo Jae-suk is the star of the show, Kim and Haha have been written of as the "spice" of the show, with references to Kim's "boyish likeability, upbeat personality and masculinity" and Haha for "his insatiable sense of humor and free spirit," and together are called "the musical duo."^[1]

The duo's friendship actually pre-dated Running Man, when Kim was better known as one half of the popular dance pop duo Turbo^[3] and Haha was just beginning his music career.^[4] Both of them were also cast members of the variety show X-Man.

Career

In addition to their individual musical careers, with Haha's "reggae style music" and Kim's "melancholic and soothing ballads,"^[5] the two have performed together during their work for the Running Man show, at fan meet gatherings and concerts.^[6]

Kim's 2012 comeback, break from his hiatus from the music industry album, "Volume 7 - Journey Home" included the track "Words I Want To Say To You" featuring his Running Man members Haha and Leessang's Gary.^[7][8]

 

Kim Jong-kook and Haha at press conference, Dallas, December 14, 2014

Debut and U.S. tour continued and more

On July 12, 2014, the two variety show stars debuted together in concert at the Fantasy Springs Resort, Palm Springs, California, singing their hit songs, which was noted as a "return" to their musical roots.^{[9][10][11][12]}

Again, in December 2014, they collaborated with Tune Entertainment for a second leg of their concert tour in the United States,^[5][13] for concerts on December 12, at Queens College Colden Auditorium, New York City and on December 14, at Gilley's in Dallas. ^[14][15] These two concerts, advertised in posters as "2014 Kim Jong Kook and Haha Running Man Bros' US Tour,"^[2] started off with a video shoutout from Running Man fellow cast members Yoo Jae-suk, Lee Kwang-soo, Ji Suk-jin, Gary, and Song Ji-hyo with their congratulations for the duo's first U.S. tour. The concerts included some of their songs like Haha's "You're My Destiny," Kim's "Lovable," and older hits from Turbo; along with English covers of Bruno Mars's, Just the Way You Are, and Jay-Z and Alicia Keys's Empire State of Mind, to interest the American audience. The two exhibited their Running Man friendship, where they call each other "My Dongsaeng” and “Our Hyung," and showed off their close friendship, "often man-hugging it out to the delight of the concert crowd." The two-hour-long concerts included songs and fan interactions, "pioneered by fluent English (Jongkook) and adorably simplistic English (Haha). In 2019,they announced that they are going to be performing in Malaysia on 2 March."^[16][17]

Members

• Kim Jong-kook
• Haha

References

1. Dodley, Lewis (December 10, 2014). "Running Man Brothers Bring K-Pop to Queens College". Time Warner Cable NewsNY 1. Archived from the original on December 22, 2014. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
2. "Kim Jong Kook & Haha To Hold US Concert". Yahoo! News Singapore. November 27, 2014. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
3. Bae, Keun-min (January 1, 2006). "TV Networks Hand Out Awards". Hancinema. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
4. benightedxflame (December 13, 2014). "Exclusive: Kim Jongkook and Haha Talk Body Swap (With Lee Kwangsoo), Joining BIGBANG, and Favorite Running Man Moments". Soompi. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
5. Lee, Sarah (October 24, 2014). "'Running Man' Kim Jong Kook And HaHa To Perform At New York's Queens College In December". KPopStarz. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
6. Ramli, Bibi Nurshuhada (October 15, 2014). "Not running out of steam yet". New Straits Times. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
7. "Kim Jong Kook pre-releases songs off his 7th album ft. Haha, Gary, & Mighty Mouth". Allkpop. October 23, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
8. "Kim Jong Kook releases "Men Are All Like That" MV + 'Journey Home' album". Allkpop. November 1, 2014. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
9. "Kim Jong Guk And Haha Hold Successful U.S. 'Running Man' Concert". KPopStarz. July 14, 2014. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
10. 김종국, 절친 하하와 美 '런닝맨' 콘서트 성료..3000명 열광 (in Korean). The Chosun Ilbo. July 14, 2014. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
11. 런닝맨 김종국, 하하 듀엣 LA컨서트 티켓 $45 (in Korean). Korea Daily. June 18, 2014. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
12. 김종국-하하 美 콘서트 “3천명 관객 절반이상 현지 팬” (in Korean). JoongAng Ilbo. July 14, 2014. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
13. alim17 (November 14, 2014). "Kim Jong Kook and HaHa to be in New York and Dallas for 'Running Man Bros' US tour". Allkpop. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
14. Lee, Jung-hyuk (December 13, 2014). '능력자' 김종국, 美 'NY1'과 인터뷰서 영어로 '술술∼∼' (in Korean). The Chosun Ilbo. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
15. ssiwoorain (November 27, 2014). 김종국 & 하하 KIM JONG KOOK & HAHA Runningman Bros' Concert (in Korean). Korea Economic Daily. Archived from the original on December 22, 2014. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
16. benightedxflame (December 13, 2014). "Recap: 8 Best Moments of Kim Jong Kook and Haha's "Running Man Brothers..." Soompi. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
17. 김종국&하하 런닝맨 형제 콘서트… "k-pop 열풍, 정점을 찍다" 런닝맨 인기 달라스에서도 확인… 관객 천여 명 '열광의 도가니' (in Korean). News Korea. December 15, 2014. Retrieved December 27, 2014.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Running Man Brothers.

• Kim Jong-kook's Official Website (in Korean)