Rapper GREE (real name Kim Dong-hyun), son of comedian Kim Gu-ra, is revealing his 18 months in the Marine Corps on a variety show for the first time.
The February 4 broadcast of MBC's variety show Radio Star will air as a special titled "SHOW! Walking the Flower Road," featuring Kim Won-joon, Cho Hye-ryeon, Hanhae, and GREE.
Just four hours after his discharge, GREE walked onto the Radio Star set and instantly took over the room. Standing instead of sitting, he faced his father Kim Gu-ra and delivered a Marine-style discharge report. When he followed it with a deep traditional bow, the studio was filled with emotion — and Cho Hye-ryeon was moved to tears.
GREE lays out the extreme training and daily life he endured in the Marines. He recalls signature ROK Marine Corps hardships like IBS training — carrying a rubber boat overhead under the blistering sun — and grueling courses that push physical limits. "I didn't want to be mocked, so I kept enduring it, and before I knew it, I'd become a Marine others were proud of," he says, showing off his special pride in the red name tag and the moments that made him tougher.
He also admits that "my values completely changed" during his service. While he candidly confesses there were moments when he regretted volunteering, he openly shares the reasons he pushed through to the end, winning nods from the MCs. He even drops an unexpected "military Michelin food" anecdote that has the studio in stitches.
Another highlight is the long-awaited on-screen chemistry between father and son, Kim Gu-ra and GREE. GREE teases, "There's one person my dad absolutely can't say no to," catching Kim Gu-ra off guard, and Kim fires right back — a true like-father-like-son back-and-forth.
Catch GREE's unfiltered military backstory on Radio Star on the 4th at 10:30 p.m.