American-Korean Ricky Kim and his family, who are known as one of the stars of the Korean reality show Oh! My Baby, which showcases the daily lives of celebrity families, are currently in Singapore. For those who don’t know yet, the actor and his two older children are here for Sony ONE’s Family Day Out with Ricky Kim and Kids event, which will take place tomorrow.
The model-actor headed to Singapore with his wife as well as his daughter Kim Tae Rin, 5, and son Kim Tae Oh, 3, yesterday, where they met with Toggle and other media outlets in a group interview.
During the interview, the bilingual actor showed his dedication and love for his family, not just in his answers, but in his actions as well. When his wife, theatre actress Ryu Seungjoo called him in the middle of the interview, Ricky gave the reporters a quick apology, before swiftly answering the call with a greeting of “Hello honey” in Korean.
After the call ended, Ricky explained that to him, his family is his “first job”, which is why he makes it a rule to always answer his phone whenever his wife calls, or when the call is about his family.
Ricky also heaped praises upon Taeoh’s doppelganger, EXO’s Kai, who visited the family late last year for a play date with the kids.
“I think Kai looks like Taeoh, not the other way,” he quipped immediately, when asked if he could see the resemblance between the two.
The model-actor then went on to praise Kai, saying that the 22-year-old will become “a good father, [and] a very good husband one day”.
“There was so much [footage] that did not appear on Oh! My Baby, they had so much fun that day. The kids miss him, and keep asking, when will Kai come back and play with them.”
Ricky also spoke highly of the singer’s character, commenting that he could see Kai was in the entertainment industry because of his love for the art, and what he does, and that he does not put on a front when he’s with the children.
“I’ve seen entertainers that are almost not real, which makes it uncomfortable sometimes, as it’s the total opposite from me, [as] I try to be as real as I can be. But I was really really impressed with Kai, I speak highly of his character.”
Ricky also shared that as his kids have been around cameras since they were born, due to the profession of their parents, and they are not afraid of the camera at all. The model-actor feels that there are good things to learn from show business, just like every other industry, and as parents, Ricky and Seungjoo try to educate and help their children understand what’s going on.
The process of filming for Oh! My Baby has made the couple better parents, and for him, a better husband, Ricky shared. “We’re the same with or without cameras,” says the 34-year-old. “If we can make one person happy because of what we’re doing, I think we’ve done a good job. But if my kids are stressed, or if they feel that it’s difficult, then we’re not doing it anymore.”
The actor also shared that his wife has also taught him that “every child is different,” something that he now sees in the different reactions he gets when he punishes or praises his children.
He shared that Taerin gets really happy when praised, while Taeoh will remain indifferent and ask, “Where’s my candy?” Similarly, while Taerin get emotionally affected by a light spanking, Taeoh will just look at him with a “So, now what?” expression after getting spanked.
Ricky also does not see himself as a strict parent, but more of a “lenient-strict parent”, as he is only strict with the rules set between his wife and himself. Other than that, he is a “very open parent.”
As for the couple’s philosophy on child raising, the actor shared that they try to treat raising their children as if they were constructing a building.
“The more you try to hold them back, the more they’ll want to break out,” he said. “We just set up good pillars and the rest of it comes from them- how they’re going to design it, how they’re going to paint it.”
Sony ONE’s Family Day Out with Ricky Kim and Kids event will be happening on May 7 at Waterway Point, with activity booths and games from 10am onwards.
Oh! My Baby airs every Thursday, 11 p.m. on One (StarHub TV Channel 124, 820 & 823 and Singtel TV Channel 513 and 604).