The new segment ‘Familiar Songs’ on ‘Gag Concert’ is receiving a warm response from viewers with its unique stage that combines touching stories and laughter.
KBS2’s ‘Gag Concert’ launched ‘Familiar Songs’ on the 24th of last month. ‘Familiar Songs’ is a musical comedy that interprets well-known songs from a new perspective, featuring selections such as The Nuts’ ‘Fool in Love’, Byun Jin-seop’s ‘To a Lady’, and Jang Bum-jun’s ‘I Could Smell Your Shampoo Among the Shaking Flowers’, delivering both fun and emotion through mini-musicals.
‘Familiar Songs’ moved viewers from its very first broadcast. The song ‘Fool in Love’, known as the national unrequited love song, was reinterpreted as the story of a ‘daughter fool’ father. Lyrics like ‘Until the right person appears / I’ll just watch over her for a while’ and ‘Even if one day she leaves without a word, I’ll love her even from behind’ were sung from the perspective of a father with a daughter, providing a special emotional experience for the audience.
In the second broadcast, inspired by the lyrics ‘I want to know every little thing about you / But for some reason, you don’t talk to me’ from ‘To a Lady’, the story of a protagonist who falls in love at first sight with a person with hearing impairment was presented. Notably, a scene emphasizing ‘International Day of Persons with Disabilities’ (December 3) expressed in sign language, “Love can be felt even if it cannot be heard. The same goes for laughter. We will bring you laughter,” warmed the hearts of viewers.
In the segment ‘I Could Smell Your Shampoo Among the Shaking Flowers’, what seemed like a story between lovers turned out to be a twist about a pet dog and its owner. The lyrics ‘As I walk, I always look at you / Should I say I’ve been waiting for you?’ were expressed from the perspective of a dog waiting for its owner, adding a sense of longing for the viewers.
The passionate performances of the cast doubled the emotional impact of ‘Familiar Songs’. In particular, Song Pil-geun and Na Hyun-young enhanced the immersion of the piece with their realistic acting, reminiscent of a serious play.
In the ‘Fool in Love’ segment, ‘father’ Song Pil-geun, on his ‘daughter’ Na Hyun-young’s wedding day, reminisced about his late wife, shouting, “Honey! Our daughter is getting married today; I think I raised her well, right?” which brought tears to many eyes. Additionally, in the ‘To a Lady’ segment, Na Hyun-young portrayed a woman with hearing impairment, delicately conveying the protagonist’s emotions using only sign language and expressions, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.
Comedians such as Jung Beom-kyun, Park Eun-young, and Yoon Seung-hyun, who appear in ‘Familiar Songs’, were responsible for the humor at just the right moments. In particular, the eldest brother Jung Beom-kyun, with his unreserved comedic acting, lightened the mood of the segment, which could have easily become too heavy, balancing laughter and emotion.
The production team of ‘Gag Concert’ stated, “’Familiar Songs’ is being compared to the popular segment ‘Musical’ that aired in the mid-2000s, as it resonates with viewers,” adding, “’Familiar Songs’ has sufficient potential to become a signature segment of ‘Gag Concert’. We look forward to seeing what songs and stories ‘Familiar Songs’ will bring to the audience in the future, providing laughter and emotion.”
