[Edaily Starin Gim Ga Yeong Reporter] Comedian Hwang Ki-soon appeared on MBN’s “Kim Ju-ha’s Day & Night” and shed tears as he recalled his time living in the Philippines as an undocumented immigrant.

In Episode 37 of MBN’s “Kim Ju-ha’s Day & Night,” set to air on the 8th, Hwang Ki-soon shocked viewers by revealing that, following an overseas gambling incident, he stayed in the Philippines illegally for about two years—during which time he grew a beard, used an alias, and lived a reclusive life without even leaving his home for a year. He recalls that just as his will to live was fading, he mustered the courage to contact Kim Jeong-ryeol. When Kim Jeong-ryeol answered the phone, he immediately said, “Ki-soon, why did you wait so long to call?”—warm words that brought Hwang Ki-soon to tears.
Notably, after receiving Hwang Ki-soon’s call, Kim Jeong-ryeol—despite having an expired passport—rushed to obtain a temporary passport and arrived in the Philippines within just two days. Kim Jeong-ryeol even handed Hwang Ki-soon food supplies and living expenses collected from colleagues, including Joo Byung-jin, which moved her to tears. Hwang Ki-soon confides that she was able to return to Korea after finding hope in a message that Ju Byeong-jin had personally written on an envelope: “Ki-soon, don’t die—come back alive.”
After a series of twists and turns, Hwang Ki-soon returned to South Korea and visited his mother with Kim Jeong-ryeol. He recalls that his mother bowed deeply to him as a sign of gratitude for having survived and returned home. Hwang Ki-soon shed tears as he remembered his mother, who has since passed away.
Hwang Ki-soon, who debuted in 1982 on the 2nd MBC TV Comedy Contest, gained popularity by appearing on numerous programs such as “Long Live Youth,” “Sunday Night Parade,” “Between Night and Music,” and “Show! Lucky Train.” However, in 1997, he went abroad for gambling, went bankrupt, and ended up living as a homeless person there.
“Day & Night” airs every Saturday at 9:40 p.m.