Korea's Famous Triplets Are Now Taller Than Their Dad

When Korean actor Song Il-gook first introduced his triplet sons to viewers on the KBS variety show Superman Returns back in 2013, the internet fell instantly in love. Daehan, Minguk, and Manse — three curious toddlers with matching outfits and infectious energy — became one of the most beloved presences on Korean television. More than a decade later, those babies have grown into teenagers who are now taller than their father, and Korea is catching up on every update it can get.

Song Il-gook appeared on KBS 2TV's Immortal Songs on April 4, 2026, for a special celebrity edition of the long-running music competition. During the broadcast, he shared a candid update on his three sons that quickly caught the attention of fans who grew up watching the triplets on screen — and the details were equal parts heartwarming and hilarious.

From Toddlers to Towering Teens

The numbers alone tell a remarkable story. Daehan, the eldest of the three, now stands at 186cm — one centimeter taller than his father, who is 185cm. Minguk follows at 183cm, and Manse rounds out the trio at 180cm. All three boys are currently in their second year of middle school, approximately 14 years old, and the physical transformation has been nothing short of dramatic for anyone who watched them toddle around in diapers on national television.

Song Il-gook, who built his reputation as a serious actor through epic historical dramas like Jumong and Gu Family Book, has always presented a strikingly different side of himself when it comes to fatherhood. On the show, he shared that the household dynamic has shifted considerably now that all three boys are firmly in adolescence. "Puberty has hit hard," he acknowledged, adding that he now goes through each day with prayers and careful attention. "I am living one day at a time and just asking for good days," he said, drawing laughter from the studio audience who remembered the boys as cheerful, carefree toddlers.

One of the more relatable details he shared was the ongoing battle over bathroom time. With three teenage boys sharing a home and only the bathroom serving as a truly private personal space, mornings in the Song household have become a diplomatic exercise in turn-taking. Song Il-gook noted with a laugh that once one of them goes in, the wait for the others can stretch on considerably — a dilemma that resonated with parents and siblings everywhere.

Minguk's Musical Dreams

Beyond the lighthearted anecdotes, Song Il-gook revealed that one of the triplets has been quietly developing a serious artistic passion. Minguk, the second-born, has expressed a genuine desire to pursue composition studies. For fans who have followed the boys since their earliest days on television, the news that one of the triplets is gravitating toward music feels like a natural and exciting development.

Song Il-gook's wife, who works as a court official and is reportedly the president of a band club at her workplace, has always brought a musical sensibility to the family. The couple's enthusiasm for the performing arts appears to have left a genuine mark on at least one of their sons, with Minguk showing signs of serious musical interest at just 14 years old. Whether this leads to formal study or remains a personal passion remains to be seen, but for a family with such deep ties to the entertainment world, the direction feels fitting.

On the episode itself, Song Il-gook competed alongside actor Oh Man-seok as part of the musical Haig team, ultimately winning the week's competition. His appearance marked a warm reunion with a broadcast audience that has long held a special affection for the Song family.

A Family That Grew Up in Public

For millions of Korean viewers, Daehan, Minguk, and Manse represent one of the most cherished childhood memories of the 2010s. Superman Returns — the KBS variety segment in which celebrity fathers spend extended time caring for their young children without the mothers present — gave audiences an unusually intimate window into Song Il-gook's parenting life during the triplets' earliest years. The boys, born on March 16, 2012, spent several seasons on the show, and their distinct personalities made them feel almost like extended family to regular viewers across Korea.

Daehan was often characterized as the responsible eldest-brother type; Minguk was expressive and creative; Manse was the free spirit who could make anyone laugh. Those early character traits appear to have followed them into their teenage years. Fans who first met them when they could barely walk are now watching them navigate middle school, romantic feelings, and the complicated terrain of growing up — mostly from the outside, as the family has been deliberately private in recent years.

As the boys approach high school age, Song Il-gook has been measured about what he shares publicly — mostly through his personal Instagram account, where he occasionally posts photos that send fans into waves of nostalgic delight. In March 2026, around the triplets' 14th birthday, he posted a group photo from a winter vacation trip that included their grandmother, reinforcing the warm, family-first values the actor has always championed.

What Comes Next

The three boys are now living relatively private lives away from cameras, attending school and navigating the ordinary pressures of early adolescence. Song Il-gook has been clear that he wants to give them space to grow up on their own terms. That said, he clearly cannot resist sharing proud-father moments when they arise naturally — and judging by the reaction to his Immortal Songs appearance, fans are grateful every time he does.

Whether Minguk will eventually pursue composition in a formal academic setting, whether Daehan and Manse will find their own distinctive paths, or whether all three might one day step into the entertainment world the way their father has remains a pleasant mystery. What is certain is that the triplets who once wore matching bear ears and chased their father around the living room on national television have grown into young men with their own heights, interests, and personalities — far beyond anything a television script could have written.

For the generation of viewers who watched Daehan, Minguk, and Manse take their very first steps and say their very first words on screen, the update from Song Il-gook on Immortal Songs serves as a touching reminder of how quickly time moves — and how enduring that early chapter of Korean television truly was.