Yoo Jae-suk and "The Lonely Gourmet" Matsushige Yutaka displayed unexpected chemistry.
The April 22 broadcast of MBC's "What do you do when you play?" (directed by Kim Jin-yong, Lee Joo-won, Wang Jong-seok, Ahn Ji-seon, and Bang Seong-su/written by Noh Min-seon) featured a segment with Matsushige Yutaka, the main character "Goro-san" from the popular Japanese drama "The Lonely Gourmet," alongside actress Shim Eun-kyung in the "Suspicious Gourmet" segment, led by dessert enthusiast Joo Woo-jae in the "Sweet Gourmet" episode.
The key indicator measuring the channel's competitiveness and buzz for the day's broadcast of "What do you do when you play?" was the 2049 viewership rating, which recorded 3.1%, achieving the top spot among all programs for three consecutive weeks on Saturday. The viewership rating in the metropolitan area stood at 4.6%, claiming the first place in the same time slot. The peak one-minute viewership occurred when Yoo Jae-suk took out his personal mobile phone to take a commemorative photo with Matsushige Yutaka and Shim Eun-kyung, with the peak rating rising to 6.4% per minute. (Nielsen Korea metropolitan area data)
During a meeting at a silverfish restaurant, Yoo Jae-suk revealed he was a huge fan and was happy to witness the eating show of "The Lonely Gourmet" up close. Yoo Jae-suk expressed a sense of intimacy by saying to Matsushige Yutaka, "I feel like I resemble you," but Matsushige Yutaka humorously denied the resemblance, asking, "Are you talking about my glasses?" Matsushige Yutaka, who dislikes raw fish but occasionally eats sashimi and sushi, expressed his surprise at Yoo Jae-suk's picky eating habits by saying, "You're a bit of a strange picky eater, aren't you?" Lee Yi-kyung attempted to tease Yoo Jae-suk, saying that his friends and family rolled their eyes at him, to which Yoo Jae-suk replied, "You might misunderstand me."
Lee Yi-kyung asked Matsushige Yutaka if he knew Yoo Jae-suk. Matsushige Yutaka compared him to a very famous Japanese comedian, "Akashiya Sanma," saying that Yoo Jae-suk is on the same level (the national MC) in Korea. Lee Yi-kyung proudly mentioned that "(Yoo Jae-suk) has won 20 Daesang awards." Matsushige Yutaka humbly acknowledged the expression "the national actor" and complimented, "Shim Eun-kyung is famous in Japan," leading to a warm exchange.
Meanwhile, Joo Woo-jae, who usually gets teased by his older brothers, was eager to seize the opportunity to wash away his grievances. As a dessert enthusiast limited to sugary treats, Joo Woo-jae said, "It's time for revenge," leading Ha Ha, KCM, Park Jin-joo, and Mi-joo on a "Sweet Road" adventure. Ha Ha and KCM, who are fans of Korean food, complained about Joo Woo-jae's course of breakfast desserts that included cookies and cakes, to which Joo Woo-jae reassured them that he would prepare kimchi for the second course. However, the kimchi turned out to be a new menu item that rolled cream cheese in seaweed like gimbap.
The final stop on the "Sweet Road" was a temple. The members desperately searched for mountain vegetable bibimbap, but the head monk said mealtime had passed, leaving everyone dismayed. Ha Ha recalled dessert nightmares and complained, but the monk prepared an unexpected MZ dessert, Dubai chocolate, that paired with tea. In the meantime, KCM shocked everyone by asking the monk, who mentioned he is conducting a matchmaking project called 'I am in a temple,' "Are you married, by any chance?" Ha Ha demanded KCM eat the Dubai chocolate as a penalty, and KCM amusingly kneeled down to apologize.
While Ha Ha was shouting for soup rice, Matsushige Yutaka was trying Korean soul food oxtail soup for the first time. Spotting Yoo Jae-suk adding rice to the broth after setting the meat aside, Matsushige Yutaka followed suit and enjoyed the oxtail soup to the fullest. Yoo Jae-suk requested, "I feel like we've become quite close; please share your favorite restaurants with me." Matsushige Yutaka shared a secret okonomiyaki restaurant in Osaka Sakai and even invited him. Lee Yi-kyung jumped in front of Yoo Jae-suk, saying, "I really want to go," while Yoo Jae-suk remarked, "I will go to Japan for a gourmet trip later," scheduling a reunion of the Korean and Japanese stars.
After finishing their meal, Shim Eun-kyung mentioned that something seemed stuck in her teeth and attempted to step away for a moment. However, Lee Yi-kyung kept holding her back, graciously exchanging courtesy for intuition. Observing this, Yoo Jae-suk teased, "It looks like Eun-kyung will be ailing today because of Yi-kyung." Shim Eun-kyung expressed her feelings about being with Lee Yi-kyung through a "buzzing bell laughter," making everyone burst into laughter. Yoo Jae-suk said, "I don't often take commemorative photos, but I should this time," and took a selfie with Matsushige Yutaka and Shim Eun-kyung, creating a warm atmosphere.
Meanwhile, the preview for the next broadcast included the winter awakening project of the "What do you do when you play?" members, who went herbal searching with Kim Seok-hoon, raising expectations. Airing every Saturday, MBC's "What do you do when you play?" will start being broadcast 5 minutes later than the usual time at 6:30 p.m. from March.