In 'Kong Kong Pang Pang', Kim Woo-bin and Do Kyung-soo successfully captured laughter from the very first episode by staging an unprecedented rebellion against Lee Kwang-soo.
The first episode of tvN's 'Kong Simun De Kong Naseo Usumpang Haengbokpang Overseas Exploration' (hereafter 'Kong Kong Pang Pang'), aired on the 17th, began with the dynamic Mexico exploration of Lee Kwang-soo, Kim Woo-bin, and Do Kyung-soo, who had been bickering during the preparation process.
The broadcast recorded an average nationwide rating of 2.7%, a peak of 3.8%, an average of 3.0% in the metropolitan area, and a peak of 4.7%, ranking first in its time slot across all cable and general programming channels.
The target audience rating for tvN, men and women aged 20-49, also ranked first in its time slot across all channels, including terrestrial broadcasts. (Based on paid platforms including cable, IPTV, and satellite / Provided by Nielsen Korea)
A month before departure, at the launch ceremony for the overseas cultural exploration team for KKPP Food employees, the feelings about the expedition and the rules for the overseas exploration were revealed. Lee Kwang-soo expressed gratitude to the headquarters for the opportunity to explore, recalling the tough days of 'Kong Kong Pat Pat' and 'Kong Kong Bab Bab', stating, "I will broaden my horizons with this opportunity and will not stop running for the next season," showcasing the class of the CEO.
The employees learned that they had to read the rules, establish travel plans, and make reservations and payments themselves, depending on their positions, which would determine the travel expenses. Notably, the total travel expenses for CEO Lee Kwang-soo were 6 million won more than those of the grateful Kim Woo-bin and department head Do Kyung-soo. This led to a hilarious confrontation between Do Kyung-soo, who protested, and Lee Kwang-soo, who wanted to protect his travel expenses.
During the process of deciding the travel destination, the travel preferences of Lee Kwang-soo, Kim Woo-bin, and Do Kyung-soo were revealed, and due to Lee Kwang-soo endlessly gathering a list of potential destinations, they were unable to decide on a location for two hours, which amused even the production team. After a long discussion, the first destination was decided to be Mexico City.
On the much-anticipated departure day, Kim Woo-bin appeared in a suit that rivaled an awards ceremony to show respect to the viewers, leaving Lee Kwang-soo and Do Kyung-soo flustered. After departing, the bickering chemistry among the friends continued in Mexico City, where Kim Woo-bin and Do Kyung-soo suggested taking the subway after walking for 4 minutes, while Lee Kwang-soo proposed walking for 14 minutes and taking the subway just once without transfers, creating a point of interest.
Ultimately, Do Kyung-soo followed Lee Kwang-soo's suggestion, explaining that he looked "a bit pitiful," and stated that he had to accommodate Kim Woo-bin at least once. Additionally, while Do Kyung-soo revealed his own criteria of doing what he could and cutting what he couldn't, Lee Kwang-soo suddenly shouted, "It's a pancake!" upon spotting a pancake on the street, but both Do Kyung-soo and Kim Woo-bin pretended not to hear and continued on their way, providing a humorous scene of the younger brothers sitting atop the eldest brother's head in a playful tug-of-war.
Moreover, a subtle psychological battle unfolded between the finance staff from headquarters and the exploration team. When Kim Woo-bin received 10,000 won in interest on his bank account, the headquarters staff claimed that the interest was also company money, leading to a standoff with the exploration team, who felt they couldn't let it go. When the headquarters staff adopted a seemingly generous attitude saying, "I will give it to you," the exploration team expressed their discomfort, hinting at a tense financial tug-of-war between the two sides from the very first day.
Thus, 'Kong Kong Pang Pang' sparked interest with the new story of Lee Kwang-soo, Kim Woo-bin, and Do Kyung-soo, who set off to broaden their horizons in Mexico, moving away from rural areas and company cafeterias. While maintaining the unique charm of the 'Kong Kong Pat Pat' series, which was loved for the cheerful chemistry and harmless laughter of true friends, it added freshness with the excitement and joy of traveling in a foreign land.
‘Kong Simun De Kong Naseo Usumpang Haengbokpang Overseas Exploration’ airs every Friday at 8:40 PM.
[Kim Mi-ji, Star Today Reporter]
