Edited by Jeon Gyeong Ju
Translated by Kim Hoyeun
The movie industry has fallen into its worst-ever recession amid coronavirus pandemic, which has been stifling the world for more than two months. On the other hand, the TV industry has managed the situation by changing the formats, except for the shows with confirmed cases in the production team. Let’s meet the celebs who made special guest appearances on variety shows and presented “small but certain happiness” despite the unprecedented anxiety over increasing numbers of coronavirus confirmed cases.
Park Bo Gum �” KBS2’s You Hee Yeol’s Sketchbook (aired on March 20, 2020)
The relationship between actor Park Bo Gum and singer Lee Seung Chul began earlier this year when the actor appeared in the music video of the singer’s new song “I Will Give You All.” Then, the chemistry between the two became an even bigger topic as they appeared together in You Hee Yeol’s Sketchbook last month. At the time, Park Bo Gum showed off his musical potential with his singing and piano performances with Lee Seung Chul. Park Bo Gum, who dreamed of becoming a singer-songwriter, announced that he is currently preparing a project with singer Sam Kim. The fact that he has already shown the possibility of an all-round entertainer by releasing a Christmas song last winter is gaining anticipations for the project.
Kang Daniel �” SBS’s Running Man (aired on March 22, 2020)
Kang Daniel, who released his first mini-album CYAN on March 24 after taking a long break, met his fans through on entertainment show first before his official release of the album. He appeared on Running Man for the first time in three years, presenting the dance of the title song “2U” beautifully, and later creating many “laughter scenes” with his signature innocent charm. He is currently on a roll by sweeping the top spots in major music shows such as SBS MTV’s The Show, KBS2’s Music Bank, and MBC’s Show! Music Core. Fans are hoping that his appearances on entertainment shows will become more frequent.
Ong Seung Wu �” SBS’s Master in the House (aired on March 22 & 29, 2020)
Among all the guests in the latest TV entertainment shows, Ong Seung Wu is the most expected one to star as the “fixed cast.” Before Ong Seung Wu’s appearance, Master in the House was thought to have reached a significant turning point as Lee Sang Yoon, and Yook Sung Jae left the show. Even appearing as a daily guest could be burdensome as he would have to replace the space of the two, but Ong Seung Wu proficiently permeated into the show. He danced B-boy moves to the beat of Kim Duk Soo, the master of Samulnori, and succeeded in performing with sangmo, showing his potential as the next ace. It is up to the production team to make the final decision, but considering Ong Seung Wu’s “entertainment potential” and favorable public opinions, his fixed appearance seems more likely.
Yoon Eun Hye �” MBC’s Radio Star (aired on March 25, 2020)
Yoon Eun Hye was nowhere to be seen on the small screen since she appeared on MBN’s Fluttering Warning in late 2018. Her appearance on Radio Star was also the first time in three years that she showed up in entertainment shows. At first, she seemed quite nervous, bit soon showed off her lively talks. Also, by sharing her honest feelings of her Baby V.O.X days, which was hard with packed schedules and various health issues, and the burden she had to carry even as she was called a “queen of romantic comedy dramas,” she brought the viewers in closer to her despite the years of absence. No news of her return to the drama scene has been reported yet, but it is clear that her appearance on Radio Star will pave the way to her next move.
Ahn Bo Hyun �” MBC’s I Live Alone (aired on March 27 & April 3, 2020)
Actor Ahn Bo Hyun perfectly played the role of Jang Keun Won, a villain with a chilling yet fragile mind in JTBC’s Itaewon Class, and was greatly loved by the public as he was called “Korean Joker” and “Romantic Trash.” When he appeared in I Live Alone, he showed off his skilled housekeeping skills and former boxer images. He also caught viewers’ attention for two consecutive weeks by presenting his friendships with EXO’s Sehun, who he went on a romantic(?) camp with, and fellow Itaewon Class‘s actor Park Seo Joon, who he shared a sweet phone call with. As Ahn Bo Hyun showed his true-self by appearing on an entertainment show, attentions for his future work are being raised.
Editor Jeon Gyeong Ju: A natural-born media geek who is physically Korean and mentally multinational. All dramatic stories are my favorite sweets for life. TVs and streaming platforms are not only the playgrounds but also the weapons.
