Why OG “Running Man” Member Gary Vanished From The Industry For 3 Years

When Gary returned to the Korean entertainment industry after 3 years of taking care of his family, fans couldn’t be more stoked.

During his comeback appearance on Superman Returns, where he also introduced his wife and son, Gary explained why he decided to take time off for 3 years.

I feel like after working for over 20 years, I ended up suffering from stress and overwork. While I was away to rest, I ended up getting married and had a child, so it turned into paternal leave.

— Gary

But Gary stressed that he didn’t regret taking those 3 years off work at all.

If you think about it, I’ve just been resting for over 3 years. But while I was off work, I was never sad or miserable. Because I was ecstatic when I came home. I felt like happiness was so near.

— Gary

Ahead of his hiatus, Gary gained international popularity for his role on SBS’s Running Man. But he announced his departure from the show in 2016, and in 2017, Gary announced his marriage as well as the birth of his son later in the year.

But Gary decided to make his comeback through KBS’s Superman Returns, and he explained why.

I’ve never missed a single episode of Superman Returns. I watch it pretty often, and I relate to it on many levels. After all, I lived the life of dedicating 70 percent of my life to fatherhood and 30 percent of my life to work. I decided to do the show because I felt like it matches my life well.

— Gary

What especially gained attention from viewers was Gary’s reveal that he didn’t have a wedding with his wife, and the reason behind it.

We actually didn’t have a wedding. We skipped the ceremony. We just told a few people that we were getting married. But we just went as the two of us to stamp the papers and then went out to eat meat together afterwards.

— Gary

Regarding his gratitude and apologetic feelings for his wife, Gary added, “I always thought of not having a wedding if I ever got married, but my wife turned out to think the same way. She said we should just sign the papers and live a happy life. We think our relationship is more important than a wedding. I’m always thankful and sorry to my wife.”