In the latest episode of ‘What Are You Doing?’, Ha Ha escaped from being last in the sales ranking of ‘Infinite Challenge’ figures thanks to the enthusiasm of the members.
The episode aired on the 5th, featuring the ‘Ha Ha Figure Home Sales’ segment, where Yoo Jae-suk, Ha Ha, Joo Woo-jae, and Lee Yi-kyung were seen actively working to clear out the stock of Ha Ha's ‘Hybrid Sam Is Rising Rio Ravy’ (hereafter ‘Hybrid’) figures.
With a nostalgic recall of ‘Infinite Challenge’ and the increasingly vibrant chemistry among the members, the show provided non-stop laughter and received positive responses from viewers. Following the broadcast, Ha Ha's figures sold out, proving to be a hot topic.
On that day, ‘What Are You Doing?’ recorded a viewership rating of 3.5% in the metropolitan area. The key indicator of channel competitiveness and buzz, the 2049 viewership rating, was 1.7%, securing the top spot among all Saturday entertainment shows. The peak moment was when Yoo Jae-suk and Lee Yi-kyung achieved a bulk sale of 10 units with profiler Kwon Il-yong, reaching a maximum viewership rating of 4.7% per minute. (Nielsen Korea metropolitan area standard)
Ha Ha's figure stock was at 137 units, placing him last in sales ranking. To boost sales, Ha Ha revived the ‘Hybrid’ character after 13 years. Joo Woo-jae commented, “Look at how your hair has thinned,” lamenting the loss of Ha Ha's once abundant bangs. Ha Ha added, “This will be the farewell stage for ‘Hybrid’. In 10 years, I won’t have bangs anymore,” sharing a poignant reason.
The first customer was ‘Fairy Jae-hyung’ Jung Jae-hyung. He comforted Ha Ha, who is famous but not popular, while the members praised him, putting him in a ‘praise prison’ to kick off their sales. In the meantime, they borrowed the power of AI (artificial intelligence) for Jung Jae-hyung, but only results for ‘Hybrid’ vehicles came up, leading to another humiliation for Ha Ha. Jung Jae-hyung, tired of the members' sales tactics, showed signs of wanting to resolve it with money, bringing laughter.
While moving to the next sale, Yoo Jae-suk and Ha Ha contacted ‘Sales No. 2’ Jung Jun-ha, but he was in Seattle, USA for business. Yoo Jae-suk and Ha Ha insisted, “Hyung, can’t you just take a plane and come?” while informing Jung Jun-ha about his second-place sales news. Jung Jun-ha reacted skeptically, thinking his younger brothers were just joking, which made everyone burst into laughter.
Next, Yoo Jae-suk and Lee Yi-kyung showcased their enthusiasm by traveling to Gyeonggi-do Hanam to meet the next customer, profiler Kwon Il-yong. Excited by the sudden appointment, Kwon Il-yong showed enthusiasm by coming out to greet them at the apartment entrance and placed a bulk order before they even started serious sales, surprising Yoo Jae-suk and Lee Yi-kyung. Kwon Il-yong appreciated the narrative of the ‘Hybrid’ figure, which still stands strong despite ‘Infinite Challenge’ ending, and an impressed Yoo Jae-suk joyfully exclaimed, “The big spender of Hanam!” as they celebrated the sale of 10 units.
Yoo Jae-suk and Lee Yi-kyung even attempted to sell to Ha Ha's family member, Byeol, bringing more laughter. Byeol, confused by Yoo Jae-suk and Lee Yi-kyung's visit, asked, “Is your husband not performing well these days?” in a ‘parent mode’ of concern. After hearing about Ha Ha's last-place figure sales, Byeol recalled Ha Ha sending a selfie in ‘Hybrid’ attire during the recording and felt heartbroken. She also reacted to Jung Jun-ha's ‘Sales No. 2’ news with, “Isn’t he just buying it for himself?” mirroring Ha Ha's reaction and causing more laughter.
Ha Ha mentioned that all his fans are ‘shy fans’ who are hiding, and he aimed to restore his honor in his hometown, Ichon-dong. Joo Woo-jae, who liked Ha Ha so much that he recorded his radio show, expressed his admiration with ‘Ha Ha Fan Commiangout’, while Ha Ha was left bewildered by Joo Woo-jae's praise, unsure if it was mockery or genuine fandom. Standing alone in the middle of Ichon-dong with a ‘Hybrid’ figure, Ha Ha began selling, but citizens passed by him as if he were ‘invisible’. Ha Ha expressed, “I feel so embarrassed I could die,” while Joo Woo-jae looked at him and said, “It feels like watching my celebrity’s solo performance,” feeling pleased.
While Ha Ha was struggling alone, he received a call from a store employee, and it was reported that Lee Yi-kyung had unexpectedly paid 46,800 won for a figure. Ha Ha burst into laughter at the absurdity, and the scene of Yoo Jae-suk and Lee Yi-kyung shouting, “Sold out today!” followed perfectly. As a result, Ha Ha managed to leave 115 figures in stock, surpassing Hwang Kwang-hee, and his ‘escape from last place’ ending brought laughter.
Meanwhile, the preview for the next broadcast hinted at a meeting with ‘Big Star Park Myung-soo’, who came to enforce entertainment discipline, raising expectations. MBC’s ‘What Are You Doing?’ airs every Saturday at 6:30 PM.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
