Lee Kyung-kyu and Joo Byung-jin reunite after 36 years... directly deny rumors of discord

Lee Kyung-kyu and Joo Byung-jin reunited on tvN STORY’s ’What’s the Point of Leaving It?’ after 36 years on air. The two gathered for the first time in a long while since their days as a duo on ’Sunday Sunday Night’ and shared stories about broadcasting and life. During the broadcast, Lee Kyung-kyu and Joo Byung-jin showed signs of mending their relationship by playfully fighting and feeding each other. Lee Kyung-kyu said, ″I didn’t expect to be loved like this,″ and Joo Byung-jin joked, ″I’m just worried there won’t be enough airtime.″ They reminisced about their past broadcasting days, with Lee Kyung-kyu revealing, ″We were a duo for about a year and six months, but it feels like a very long time,″ and Joo Byung-jin jokingly said, ″The memories of ’Sunday Night’ remain very strong because you were so rude. It left a strong impression. It’s a memorable time.″ He then added, ″Let’s start by hitting each other,″ which brought laughter to the scene. Lee Kyung-kyu confessed his regret for not keeping in touch, saying, ″It’s my fault. As the junior, I should have reached out first, but my personality is a bit prickly, so it was hard to make the first move.″ He also admitted, ″I never visited Joo Byung-jin after the show ended. That makes me the bad guy,″ and explained, ″It’s not that I didn’t want to go, but I couldn’t. When you stop working on a program together, meetings naturally decrease.″ Lee Kyung-kyu officially apologized for not contacting him for 36 years, saying, ″I’m the bad guy. Please curse me once, senior,″ asking for forgiveness. Joo Byung-jin said, ″You never contacted me, but I understand that you feel sorry, which is why you’re talking like this,″ and mentioned, ″There was one time you did reach out—when you opened your snack bar and asked me to come.″ He revealed his disappointment, saying, ″I went through a very difficult time. At least you could have sent a text saying, ’Cheer up, senior.’″ He added, ″I was hurt. If I had been angry, I would have expressed it, but I have reached a state of enlightenment.″ Lee Kyung-kyu explained, ″That’s why I felt too sorry to contact you. I was cautious about how to take it and what position to take. It was hard to express it or not express it. I thought time would heal it.″ Joo Byung-jin responded, ″You maintained that for 36 years,″ and Lee Kyung-kyu said, ″You hold grudges. I should have been more accommodating, but that’s not my personality.″ Joo Byung-jin said, ″I can understand now. As I get older, I’ve become warm enough to embrace it. I’m speaking from memories. It’s sad when bad things keep happening to people we worked with. I’m grateful if we can greet each other warmly even after 36 years.″ Joo Byung-jin also praised Lee Kyung-kyu, saying, ″You’re still a shining person. You’re full of vitality. Among the people we worked with, no one shines and works for such a long time like you do. The reason I invited you was because I saw that energy.″ Lee Kyung-kyu was touched by the compliment, saying, ″What if I hadn’t come out today? I was so surprised.″ That day, the two met on air after a long time, rekindling their playful chemistry from the past and sharing jokes and honest conversations with each other.