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Min Kyung-hoon Is Leaving Knowing Bros After 11 Years as a Founding Member

Singer Min Kyung-hoon is stepping away from JTBC's long-running variety show Knowing Bros, where he has been a cast member since the very first episode in December 2015. JTBC confirmed he will take a hiatus following the broadcast on the 29th, though the network stopped short of calling it a permanent departure. His exit follows fellow original member Kim Heechul's health-related leave earlier this year, leaving the show navigating its biggest cast shake-up in years.

By Ha-Rin SongAugust 28, 20262 min read

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Min Kyung-hoon Is Leaving Knowing Bros After 11 Years as a Founding Member — OMONAR

Singer Min Kyung-hoon has filmed his final episode of Knowing Bros, JTBC confirmed on the 28th, closing out a run that began with the show's very first broadcast in December 2015. His last appearance is set to air on the 29th.

JTBC framed the move as a hiatus rather than a full departure, saying Min Kyung-hoon will take time to recharge. The production team added that no new permanent member is planned for now; the vacant seat will be filled by rotating one-off guests, referred to on the show as "daily brothers," while the team reassesses.

An 11-year run that outlasted nearly everyone

Min Kyung-hoon was one of Knowing Bros' original seven cast members, and his tenure stretched longer than most. He became known for an unpredictable, off-beat comedic persona that kept fellow cast members visibly off guard, and for a style of banter that was genuinely difficult to script around. His connection to the show also turned personal: in November 2024, he married Shin Ki-eun, a JTBC producer he met through the program. He was four years her junior, and he announced the marriage on Knowing Bros itself before making it public anywhere else.

The second exit in a matter of months

Min Kyung-hoon's departure is the second significant cast change this year. Kim Heechul, another founding member, stepped away in April citing health reasons, and comedian Kim Shin-young joined as his replacement. That made Kim Heechul's leave the first crack in the original lineup; Min Kyung-hoon's exit widens it considerably.

Four original members remain on the current roster: Kang Ho-dong, Lee Su-geun, Seo Jang-hoon, and Kim Young-chul. Lee Sang-min joined in March 2016, and Kim Shin-young came on board in May of this year.

Knowing Bros has been running for over a decade without a major format overhaul, which makes two cast exits in one year a meaningful stress test. Whether the rotating-guest strategy buys the production enough time to find the right permanent addition, or whether the show leans into a looser ensemble format, will become clear in the months ahead.

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