I’ve Got You Babe

By Jae-Ha Kim
KOCOWA
June 15, 2021

Do we have any parents or babysitters reading this post? If so, you all know how awesome it is watching little ones grow. But you also know how difficult and exhausting it can be raising a child. You have to be super alert to make sure the children are well fed, have clean diapers, offer them the right mix of playtime and naps … and for caregivers, the most important element of all is ensuring that the child is secure in the knowledge that you are there temporarily until their mom or dad returns home to them. It’s scary for little ones to understand this concept, especially if their days have almost always been spent with a parent by their side.

With all that in mind, I picked a few of my favorite celebrity babysitters, whether they were family friends or real-life uncles.

Choi Min Ho and Hwang Kwang Hee / “The Return of Superman” (Ep. 369)

When your father is soccer star Park Joo Ho, of course some of your babysitters are going to be superstars, too. Cutie pie Naeun and her little brother, Gunhoo, got along famously with the dream team of SHINee’s Min Ho and ZE:A’s Kwang Hee. Though the episode was edited to make it appear that Nauen was smitten with Min Ho, but indifferent to Kwang Hee, I thought she enjoyed their different styles of childcare. Though Min Ho is Kwang Hee’s junior, he was more reserved and calm with his approach. Meanwhile, Kwang Hee amused the children by pretending to be hurt by their lack of attention to his dance moves. Gunhoo particularly liked comforting Kwang Hee and showing they loved him, too. Anyhow, it doesn’t get much cuter than this quartet.

KAI / “Home Alone” Ep. 372

As if you didn’t already love KAI enough, watching the EXO star lovingly care for his niece and nephew will make you admire him even more. Idols, of course, have to protect their privacy. So for KAI and his family to share this with his fans was super special. After giving viewers a tour of his seriously gorgeous house, he revealed that he moved across the street from where his eldest sister (and other members of his immediate family) lived, because he wanted to be able to see them whenever he could. He likes children very much, he said, and enjoys babysitting. So when his sibling asked him to watch her kids Ra Hee and Ra On for a couple hours, he jumped at the opportunity, even preparing a kid-friendly meal (that the youngest child initially resisted). When KAI suggested they play hide and seek, he said he loves to play that game, because if he hides really well, he can rest before the children find him. ㅋㅋ Anyhow, this episode is really cute and highly recommended.

Steven Yeun / “The Return of Superman” (Ep. 196)

It’s not every baby who can say their babysitter would go on to become the first Asian American Best Actor Nominee in the history of the Academy Awards. But William (son of comedic entertainer Sam Hammington) can! In 2017, the esteemed actor (“Minari,” “Okja,” “Burning,” “The Walking Dead”) surprised fanboy Sam. William’s reaction was a little different. The 13-month-old toddler cried at first, but he slowly warmed up to Steven (whose own son, Jude Jin Young, was just four months old at the time of filming). Some highlights? Steven and William doing the up-and-down dance, playing basketball and eating blueberries. Steven said that watching William gave him insight into what his own child would be doing in a few months and he was grateful to get a preview.

Lee Seung Gi / “Little Forest” (Ep. 1)

When it hit the news that actor Lee Seung Gi is in a relationship with actress Lee Da In, fans began speculating if the couple would marry and start a family. Well, only Seung Gi and Da In know and that’s their private information. But one look at how well he took care of children on “Little Forest” says that he is a fast learner and will make a fun dad, if he decides he’d like to be one. Taking care of babies isn’t easy, but cradling them in your arms as you rock them to sleep is one of the great pleasures in life. And Seung Gi handled that beautifully.

Simon Dominic / “Home Alone” (Ep. 395)

Something even the most experienced aunt or uncle has experienced was when their beloved niece or nephew wants no one but their own parents. That’s what hip-hop artist Simon Dominic (born Jung Ki Suk) experienced when he watched his niece Chae On. The baby, whom he refers to as an angel, appears happy enough to wake up in his house. But after looking around and not finding her mom, she begins to cry. But he figures out how to cheer her up, by letting her play with rice. Though he didn’t like it when adult guests spilled things on previous episodes, he doesn’t so much as flinch when Chae Chae (as he calls her) spills rice all over his clean floor. That is the love that uncles have for their nieces. In a classic uncle move, he gives her ice cream for breakfast, which wins her over. But then he eats too much of it, which makes her cry for her umma again.

One suggestion I would give to any babysitter is to not mislead children, even the super young ones. Telling them repeatedly that their mom is on their way home, when they’re not, doesn’t work. But do tell them their mom will be home after one night’s sleep, or two hours after it gets dark outside … or something else that young ones can understand.

So, these were my picks that you can watch on KOCOWA. Are they yours as well? Which ones are your favorites? Let me know!