'She's like the queen of the sea': Song Ji-hyo reveals wealthy family background on Running Man

She may be known as Ace Ji-hyo in Running Man for her ability to accomplish difficult missions and Mong Ji-hyo for her signature blank expression.

South Korean actress Song Ji-hyo may have a new nickname soon — Queen of the sea.

In the latest episode of South Korean variety show Running Man, which aired last Sunday (July 16), the 41-year-old revealed that her parents run a ferry business in Tongyeong, which is a port city in South Gyeongsang province in the country.

It started off when the members were taking a break and preparing to play the next game segment.

They were sitting around to chat when the topic of their family background was brought up.

Comedian and television presenter Ji Suk-jin said: "Isn't Ji-hyo from a rich family?"

"Of course! Her family is super rich," replied singer Kim Jong-kook.

Host Yoo Jae-suk interrupted and asked Suk-jin why he would ask that question and that Suk-jin is from a rich family himself.

Suk-jin retorted by saying that he is a "self-made" person, with Jae-suk adding that Suk-jin's father was once the owner of a copper pipe factory.

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As the members started a heated but funny discussion about who was more of a "self-made" person when almost all the members have parents who are businessmen or in the military, singer-rapper Haha tried to defuse the situation by declaring suddenly: "Be quiet! My dad's business tanked!"

Eventually the conversation came back to asking about whether Ji-hyo's parents are well-off.

She denied immediately, saying: "No, my dad was just an office worker."

Suk-jin said: "Ji-hyo's mum is a big player in the catering business. She was in Haeundae, Busan, for an investment".

Jae-suk chimed in and added that Ji-hyo's mum invested in multiple businesses.

This started off another discussion among the members about which food business her mum runs. Some guessed that it is a kalguksu (Korean knife-cut noodle soup) restaurant, while others guessed that it is a sujebi (Korean hand-pulled noodle soup) business.

All of which Ji-hyo denied with laughter.

At one point, Haha asked: "Is [your mum] a butcher?" This sparked a round of giggles among the members.

As Suk-jin continued that Ji-hyo's mother either runs a kalguksu or sujebi business, Ji-hyo suddenly declared: "She runs a ferry business!"

All the members were shocked with the revelation and said that they didn't know about this in the 13 years they have known her. Suk-jin said: "Even the cheapest ships would cost over six figures".

Ji-hyo clarified that both her parents run the business in Tongyeong.

Comedian-singer Yang Se-chan asked Ji-hyo incredulously: "I can't believe it, do you own all the ships?"

"Gosh, no, no way," she replied, laughing.

Jae-suk subsequently declared Ji-hyo as the "Daughter of Tongyeong".

"She's like the queen of the sea," Haha can be heard saying outside the shot.

Ji-hyo, who was rather bashful at the revelation and new nicknames, said humbly: "No, that's my family's wealth, not mine. That's what I think, which is why I rarely talk about them".

You can catch the latest episode of Running Man on Viu.

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yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com

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