Korea No. 1 (2022)

This kind of show could be boring, but they made it really fun!

Each episode i learned something new, and in each of it i almost died of laughing 🤣🤣. Yoo Jaeseok and Lee Kwangsoo (or i should say, Lee Gapsoo (lmao) or Kim Kwangsoo 🤣🤣) are perfect combination for comedic duo, and this time they add Kim Yeonkyeong between them. I really like their dynamic! Kim Yeonkyeong was new (i'd never seen her before) and at first tought she was a serious person, but it turned out she was just as witty as two others 🤣🤣. I like her and i'd like to see her more in variety show with YJS and LKS.

Lire davantage

Perfect combination of the Korean traditional cultural heritage and comedy

I came to this show not knowing what to wait for. I was mostly wanting something to watch while I ate. So it came as my surprise when I saw say the “best combo” cast, with Yoo Jae Suk as the "wise man" of entertainment, being able to make everything we saw interesting to the viewer, being accompanied by Lee Kwang Soo, the “blessed” by the gods of comedy, able to create flows of energy through the episodes. With Kim Yeon Koung, the picture is complete, as Kwang Soo's “sister/doppelganger” and with her witty personality which was perfect to complete the trio.

Each episode presented to the viewer an essential asset of the Korean traditional culture, where we are able to see the full process from the raw materials/environment to the final product. For someone that lives out of Korea and has little to no knowledge about their cultural history, having this show explain it in a way that's not boring it's a great way to not only learn but also a great way of entertainment (thanks to the help of the cast).

I recommend this show to the ones that want to learn something new (especially while eating a meal), and look for some good interactions between the cast members and the masters, as they try to earn their approval!

Lire davantage

Documentary meets game show meets comedy act - liked it more than anticipated

9.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2022 reality variety show with 8, 41-52 minute episodes.

First I provide a Unique Synopsis then Review

Synopsis

In each episode Yoo Jae-suk, Kim Yeon-koung and Lee Kwang-soo travel to wherever a master of a traditional process resides to take part in their craft. They are taught and perform each process from beginning to end. It is naturally comedic as they obviously are not masters themselves so they struggle and make errors all the while competing with each other to earn the distinction of the master declaring one of the best at that craft.

Because this series centers around these three participants a little about each person:

*Yoo Jae suk was born in 1972 and would have been about 50 when the series aired. He is a popular Korean comedian, presenter and tv personality.

*Kim Yeon Koung was born in 1988 and would have been about 34 when the show aired. She is a pn accomplished professional volleyball player. She has a large social media presence with many followers (over 1 million) on her sites and channels.

*Lee Kwang Soo was born in 1985 and would have been about 42 when the show aired. He started as a model but quickly got into acting and also participates at various levels in variety shows.

Review

One if the most fascinating aspects of this series is seeing and learning about these processes from start to finish along with the participants. They go to Junghueng to learn how to make Giwa which are traditional clay roof tiles. They struggle on the mud flats of Shinan they pursue the Getbal, baby octopuses. They go to Seocheon to harvest plants to explore mosi, traditional woven fabric. In Damyang they discover that Jang traditional sauces are very difficult to make. In Namihae they find out how anchovy, Jukbangryeorn, anchovy are trapped in a traditional tidal weir and processed. Korean Jjock comes from the indigo plants in Naju and the three discover making dye and dying cloth is a seriously taxing process. Even the makgeoli, sweet rice wine, made in Busan is a laborious process.

The locations are beautiful but you can see evidence of the heat (they comment but you can also see their flushed faces and them sweating through the processing) the participants are working in which lends a greater appreciation for those that do it for a living. It is all very hard work but the results are beautiful/wonderful.

Spoiler

The only critique was the masters decided, in the presence of the participants, who deserved the thumbs up for that activity. An honest assessment of how each one did would have made that aspect more meaningful.

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