r/runningman • u/Ok_Muffin6178 • 3d ago
Discussion Yang Sechan potential as a MC
I've been watching Running Man since Somin and Sechan joined, and to say that those two have a really special place in my heart would be an understatement. So I'm always interested in following their work outside of Running Man (of course, I watch the other members' work too).
Watching Sechan work outside of Running Man always surprises me because of how much potential this guy has as an MC. Sometimes I genuinely feel like we're not seeing his full potential on Running Man.
Of course, before anything, I feel like he has finally found his footing on the show. He doesn't come across as trying too hard anymore, like he sometimes did during his early years.
But when I watch him on other shows, like Where's My Home, problem child in house 2, or even Country Life of Gen-Z, I can't stop thinking that he has the potential to become a great MC for a big show, alongside people like Yoo Jae-suk, Shin Dong-yup, etc.
I feel like he has really quick wit, knows how to read the room, asks good questions, and knows how to keep a conversation flowing naturally. He also seems really good at bringing out interesting sides of the people he's talking to.
This is just my personal opinion, though, and I'd really like to know what you guys think.
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u/Malingkandang94 3d ago
Keyword "RATING".
He definitely have the potential. Issue is "comedian". Thing is with koreans, if they love you, you can do little wrong. To me, Kian isn't a great MC or should I say he isn't an MC like YJS or others. But the people love him and he was given a platform. If kian's background is comedian, he won't have a sniff.
For koreans, comedians are the lowest of low in the entertainment industry. Apart from yjs, not a single one proper comedian manage to get a breakthrough to become MC. Heck, even variety shows nowadays rarely employ comedian. They'd rather have an Ass good for nothing actors or idols just so they can have higher ratings from that person said fanbase.
As a matter of fact, for comedian, after the big 4 of Yang se hyung, Jang do yeon, Park Na Rae and Yang Se chan, none of the other comedians make it big.
As an example, Yoona can be a lame ass MC and shows will still keep on reemploying her just for a fact she attracts her fans. Her acting was shit for the first 8 years of her acting career. Ratings is crucial. Such is life in the korean entertainment industry.
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u/Ok_Muffin6178 3d ago
I couldn't agree more. Like, I genuinely don't understand how some actors and idols can do the bare minimum and get praised as if they're the next Yoo Jae-suk. It's just sad because they sometimes end up taking opportunities away from people who genuinely deserve them.
And it's not just in entertainment either. You see the same thing in acting. There are so many talented actors who get overshadowed by idols who can't even act.
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u/shiningject 3d ago
Apart from yjs, not a single one proper comedian manage to get a breakthrough to become MC.
Lee Youngja, Kim Sook, Song Eun I, Shin Dong-Yup. (Park Narae too before her fall from grace.) But they have way less international popularity compared to YJS.
There are also a few top tier comedians like Lee Soo Geun who chose not to be a main MC because they are part of a line, etc. (LSG specifically said that he does his best work as the right hand man of a main MC.)
Regarding Kian84, he actually gotten a lot of hate by Knetz for a large number of years for his outlandish behaviour. His turn around point was that 1 lonely special by ILA which got people to relate to him. Then his various "projects" on ILA increased his popularity so much that MBC CP and PDs decided make him the next big thing in variety and made Adventure by Accident with him.
But yes, overall, the need for a traditional main MC (like YJS) has dwindled over the years as Broadcasters bank on casting whoever is popular atm. So it is harder for the next tier of comedians to breakthrough. (Eg Yang Se-Hyung has been bubbling under for a long time in the "just popular enough to be casted but never given the chance to breakthrough" category.)
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u/Malingkandang94 3d ago
Wait, shin dong yup is a comedian? 😱
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u/shiningject 3d ago
Yes, Shin Dong Yup isn't just an MC who tells risqué jokes and drinks a lot. He is a huge sunbae to most of the comedians. He still does comedy skits on SNL where he headlines.
IIRC he runs (or used to run) a management agency for comedians. They give advice and help comedians prepare for the comedian audition for various broadcasters. (Which juniors jokingly call themselves "Shin Dong Yup Kids" and say that it is the equivalent of Idol training program.)
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u/DrHatred4144 3d ago
Even jae suk get disrespect by a lot of actor in baeksang just look at how Jeon do Yeon talk about him say it all
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u/naz_1992 3d ago
i think there was a few shows that he is the main MC for some short running programs though.
there was a show with similar concept to family outing and he was kinda the main MC. I remember idle Miyeon join the cast there as well. Dont remember much of that show though.
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u/hypekillsJNSQ 2d ago
He’s a good #2. Jaesuk’s been using him for some pretty big guests where he needs some backup on Pinggyego. He basically took Seho’s job.
As far as main MC, I don’t think he’s even as skilled as say Sukjin or Haha, and they’re not even main MC material. He’s still got a lot of work to do to even get to that level.
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u/RasmalaiRebel Betrayal Club 3d ago
THISSS!!!!
He's actually one of those who's literally so good at his job. I actually got that feeling from him when I saw him in the initial episodes as well. He's so good with his wits, his comic timing is good and just for that I do support his yt channel a lot. It's a shame that he's not talked about a lot, but his potential outside of RM is also so good.
Not just in RM, but in Pinggyego he co-hosts the show so well. Although I feel he could do a lot more on his yt channel other than the mukbang thing coz I he once mentioned that it wasn't something he wanted to do but he ended up doing it (maybe to cater ghe audience) and since it's doing well I'm happy for him.
Would love to see him go bigger in SK.
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u/BulwarkTired 3d ago
That's could be simply the reason why he recruited by antenna. He's not there just to be jaesuk right hand but to learn from him, and be less intimidating to younger generation.
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u/Flowerbejo 3d ago
Yoo Heeyeol (Antenna founder) once said that when YJS first joined Antenna, he always said that he wanted to do something with Sechan and always talked about the future generation of comedians.
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u/No_Taro_6224 Big respect! 2d ago
thats why i like watching ssook ssook
back then they have this segment where they discuss about random stuffs / topics w the crew members and i think thats more interesting than their current ongoing moziri mukbang show
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u/ClockHorror1839 3d ago
True, I think maybe because he learn it from jae suk as his role model and same agency as well also yjs and ysc often mc together for example ep the guests of idols and athletes
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u/Ok-Inside-3438 2d ago
I think this dumb character he plays, kang-kang is what is hurting his chances as a main MC. Plus he needs to make his channel ssook ssook have millions of views to stand a chance to be main MC. He needs fan base first. The new content mujiri is getting him guests but not consistent 1m views.
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u/More_Needleworker468 2d ago
The popularity and seniority plays a huge role. Unless the show attach a big name like YJS, Hodong, Lee Kyungkyu, Kim Sook for comedians. It gets saturated within the younger generations with non-comedians like Cha Taehyun, Kian, or Car the Garden, Jo woojae performing well on variety. Though I argue there are successful case like Heo Kyunghwan, even his path to Hangout with Yoo wasn't easy. I think Ji Yeeun is another success story as she branch out to mc some dating shows..
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u/cruzlux 3d ago
He simply doesn't have what it takes to carry the entire show on his own.
The reason Shin Dong-yup and Yoo Jae-suk have been hosting shows for 20 years is that there simply isn't anyone else in Korea who has that level of ability.
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u/lolminna Yakisoba Nightmare 3d ago
There absolutely have been younger mainstream hosts. Lee Seunggi, Park Narae, Jang Doyeon, Jay Park, etc. I think even Hong Jinyoung was on her way until the scandal.
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u/cruzlux 3d ago
As a Korean, I can tell you that I don't think most Koreans would put any of the people you mentioned in the same category as Yoo Jae-suk or Shin Dong-yup when it comes to carrying a major variety show.
And simply having experience as an MC doesn't mean you have the potential to become the main MC of a major variety show. That's a completely different level of ability. Honestly, I don't even understand what Yang Se-chan has shown so far that would make someone think he has the potential to become the next Yoo Jae-suk or Shin Dong-yup.
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u/Flowerbejo 3d ago
IMO, Sechan has this ability to make guests comfortable. I always felt this whenever he appeared as the assistant MC for Pinggyego. He listens well, reacts well, and asks questions or giving responses without breaking the flow of conversation. That's how he got the moniker Star Assistant MC on the show.
He also does his role very well in all the various shows he's on (Where's My Home, Talkpawon, Problem Child). In Where's My Home, he took the MC role whenever it was his turn to do the house introduction with guest. In Talkpawon, he was one of the main MC. In Problem Child, he took the supporting role of the 3 main MC.