In the latest episode of ‘What Do You Do When You Play?’, actress Shin Eun-kyung made her return to variety shows after 11 years, sharing untold stories and bringing laughter.
The episode aired on the 15th featured Ha Ha, Lee Yi-kyung, Park Jin-joo, and Mi-joo working at a rest area ramen and snack corner in the ‘People Working on the Holidays’ segment, along with Shin Eun-kyung from the movie ‘Miss Granny’ and Matsushige Yutaka from the Japanese drama ‘The Lonely Gourmet’ in the ‘Suspicious Gourmet’ segment. The appearance of Shin Eun-kyung and Matsushige Yutaka, who are rarely seen in variety shows, drew significant attention and interest.
The viewership rating for the broadcast of ‘What Do You Do When You Play?’ in the metropolitan area was 6.1%, ranking first in its time slot. The key indicator of channel competitiveness and buzz, the 2049 viewership rating, was 3.3%, making it the overall number one program on Saturday across all genres, including dramas and variety shows. The highest-rated moment was when ‘New Jeans’ fan Shin Eun-kyung shared her story about taking a photo with New Jeans, reaching a peak rating of 8.3% per minute. (Nielsen Korea metropolitan area standard)
Shin Eun-kyung, who returned to variety shows after 11 years since ‘Running Man’ with Yoo Jae-suk, captivated viewers with her quirky and lively charm. When Yoo Jae-suk reminisced about their time on ‘Running Man’, Shin Eun-kyung revealed, “Actually, I found it really hard. I had to sing as soon as I woke up in the morning. And then suddenly, I was told to run,” starting to share her long-held stories. Lee Yi-kyung attempted to provoke by asking, “What tone did Jae-suk hyung use to tell you to run?” but Shin Eun-kyung blocked him by saying, “He spoke kindly.” Yoo Jae-suk, upon hearing that Shin Eun-kyung hadn’t done variety shows since then, asked, “Is it because of me?” and complimented her, saying, “Your speaking skills have improved since then.”
The conversation shifted to Shin Eun-kyung’s activities in Japan, where she won the Best Actress award at the Japanese Academy Awards. Lee Yi-kyung, commenting that filming in Japan is shorter than in Korea, bluntly asked, “Do you get paid one-third?” causing Shin Eun-kyung to be momentarily flustered, and then followed up with, “Do you have a house in Japan?” which made her sweat. When Shin Eun-kyung looked bewildered, Lee Yi-kyung explained, “I also do the Lee Yi-kyung Show in Japan.” Doubting him, Shin Eun-kyung interrogated, “Is the Lee Yi-kyung Show real?” showcasing their ‘sword and shield’ talk chemistry.
Lee Yi-kyung tried to bond with Shin Eun-kyung through MBTI, but introverted Shin Eun-kyung seemed to malfunction in her reactions to extroverted Lee Yi-kyung’s ‘EE-kyung virus’. When Shin Eun-kyung couldn’t put her fists down, Yoo Jae-suk joked, “Eun-kyung is trying to hit you.” Undeterred, Lee Yi-kyung found common ground by mentioning that he lives next to ‘Unbuk Elementary School’, which Shin Eun-kyung attended, adding, “I live next to Unbuk Elementary.” A bewildered Shin Eun-kyung responded, “What is this?” Yoo Jae-suk pointed out, “Did you think ‘What is this?’ would be followed by ‘This idiot’?” causing laughter.
Shin Eun-kyung’s hobbies as a true fan of New Jeans and a vintage enthusiast also caught attention. She shared her story of meeting New Jeans and taking a photo in the waiting room at a Japanese awards ceremony, referring to herself as a ‘successful fan’. Upon seeing the photo, Yoo Jae-suk remarked, “Your face looks stiff. You seem out of it?” to which Shin Eun-kyung replied, “I was so overwhelmed. That photo turned out well,” showing her passion by reenacting the situation when she took the photo. Additionally, born in 1994, Shin Eun-kyung, who collects vintage cassette tapes, CDs, and LPs, connected with Yoo Jae-suk, born in 1972, transcending generations.
Towards the end of the broadcast, another guest who would join Shin Eun-kyung on the gourmet road appeared. It was Matsushige Yutaka, the actor famous for the Japanese drama ‘The Lonely Gourmet’. While Matsushige Yutaka sat alone waiting for the three at a dried fish restaurant in Seoul, Yoo Jae-suk entered the shop, spotted him, and exclaimed in surprise, “Goro-san!” This raised anticipation for how their gourmet journey, forming the ‘Suspicious Gourmet Club’, would unfold.
Meanwhile, the preview for the next broadcast featured Yoo Jae-suk, Lee Yi-kyung, Shin Eun-kyung, Matsushige Yutaka from the ‘Suspicious Gourmet Club’, and Joo Woo-jae, Ha Ha, Park Jin-joo, and Mi-joo from the ‘Sweet Gourmet Club’. Yoo Jae-suk, a true fan of Matsushige Yutaka, approached him saying, “My nickname is ‘The Lonely Picky Eater’” and “I resemble you,” but was met with a humorous rejection, hinting at a fun chemistry. ‘What Do You Do When You Play?’ airs every Saturday at 6:25 PM on MBC.
[Ji Seung-hoon, Star Today Reporter]
