"Jungle Bob 2" has returned.
On the afternoon of the 27th, a production presentation for the new variety show "Jungle Bob 2" took place at the SBS headquarters in Mok-dong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. The presentation featured Han Bi-in and Ryu Ji-hwan PD along with Ryu Soo-young, Choi Hyun-seok, Kim Ok-bin, Choi Daniel, Yoon Nam-no, and Lee Jun, who discussed the show.
"Jungle Bob" is a program that tells the story of cooking with ingredients sourced locally in the jungle while interacting with locals, and in season 2, it will unfold stories of food set against the backdrop of Peru, the land of the Incas, and the emerald Caribbean.
This season will also feature a self-sufficient "taste expedition" journey that crosses the boundaries of labor and gourmet as they head toward the unknown jungle. In "Peru Bob," the formidable duo of Ryu Soo-young, who captured the palate of the jungle in the last season, and Choi Hyun-seok, the star chef at the center of the cooking variety syndromes, will be joined by actors Kim Ok-bin and Choi Daniel.
Following Peru, the second destination awaits in the emerald Caribbean. In "Jungle Bob 2 - Caribbean Bob," the talented chef Yoon Nam-no, beloved for his character "the cooking lunatic," will team up with Ryu Soo-young. There is great interest in what extraordinary recipes the uniquely personal and skilled Yoon Nam-no will showcase alongside Ryu Soo-young, the "pioneer of home cooking." Additionally, Kim Ok-bin, who participated in "Peru Bob," and the multi-talented entertainer Lee Jun, armed with enhanced entertainment skills, will join to showcase delightful chemistry.
On this day, PD Han Bi-in noted, "We, along with the cast, but also the staff went with a small group to suffer from hardships. Since we went through difficulties, I hope the ratings will also turn out well."
Chef Choi Hyun-seok, as soon as he grabbed the microphone, revealed that he was scammed by the production team, saying, "In 'Peru Bob,' I took on the professionalism and technical part. It's not a travel program, but you could view it as a documentary about extreme employment. They clearly told me it was a gourmet expedition, but I think we filmed in the experience jungle."
Choi Hyun-seok shared, "Though my body suffered, once I returned, it's scary how good a memory can feel, whether it's a drug or poison. It has been about a month, but for 1-2 weeks, I was still upset. As time passed, my heart felt warm again, and the friends I had suffered with became good memories. It was good, though I said I wouldn't do it again. It ended up being a fun trip that I miss now."
Kim Ok-bin, participating in both "Peru Bob" and "Caribbean Bob," recalled, "I am the ace Kim Ok-bin who participated in both. I struggled hard for the acquisition of ingredients. I had to work to eat, and it was so tough that after it ended, I thought I'd never do it again, but it was glamorized. The memories were happy enough that I could go again if invited."
However, Lee Jun noted that "Caribbean Bob" wasn't very tough. He stated, "I am Lee Jun who traveled to the Caribbean. Relatively, we didn't suffer much, so we felt like we went on a free trip. Is that so? I heard the Peru team had a tough time, so I apologize for that. Regardless, we feel like we had a fun free trip, and I'm looking forward to it. I will also watch 'Peru Bob' well."
Chef Yoon Nam-no immediately rebutted Lee Jun's comment, saying, "Jun was confused after recently returning from Romania. I found it very tough." He continued, "As a cooking lunatic, I regret that I couldn't fully act like one. I was also scammed by the production team. They told me it would be a very meaningful and fun trip, yet it was so tough that I could call it the worst experience. But it was enjoyable, and from gathering ingredients to cooking, those memories are valuable gifts, and I want to thank the crew. I hope the ratings soar."
Not only them but also in the studio, Jeon Hyun-moo, Dean Dean, and Heo Young-ji will join to enrich the program. PD Han Bi-in shared, "We really suffered a lot in Peru and the Caribbean. I thought there should be someone to watch this together with. After all, it's more fun to watch movies with friends while eating snacks in our room. I hope the participants and MCs can enjoy the show together with the viewers, like eating buddies."
Amid stories of hardship from both Peru Bob and Caribbean Bob, when asked which chef had a more difficult experience, Choi Hyun-seok said, "In fact, I haven't directly seen or heard about the experiences. However, I do hear that it was relatively okay for us. We went into the Amazon jungle, and the traces of insects remain with the production team and cast. I came back with insect marks on my legs like a commemorative badge. I don't think there were any of those with Caribbean."
Chef Yoon Nam-no also remarked, "If I compare it to 'Peru Bob,' I have nothing to say. Chef Choi Hyun-seok actually showed his insect bites. Comparing these, it feels like a free vacation," he added while sharing, "Personally, I suffered from extreme seasickness, and during that time, I must have lost my identity while feeling nauseous. There's a saying I supposedly said, 'Forget the performer fees and send me back to Korea.' I have no recollection of that. Even so, compared to 'Peru Bob,' it feels like we had a fun trip." In response, Chef Choi Hyun-seok added, "There is also seasickness in 'Peru Bob.' You'll see when you watch it."
This season, Ryu Soo-young will also join as a cooking assistant. Chef Choi Hyun-seok praised Ryu Soo-young's cooking skills, stating, "When I talk to Ryu Soo-young, it feels like I am conversing with someone from the same industry. He has a wealth of knowledge. While he cooks deliciously, aside from a slightly slower process, if he trained daily in a restaurant, he could definitely become a person from the same industry."
Continuing with Chef Choi Hyun-seok and Yoon Nam-no mentioning employment scams, a question arose about which they would choose to film again between 'Black and White Chef' and 'Jungle Bob 2.' Choi Hyun-seok responded, "The production team made two promises. It's a gourmet trip, and they promised to provide a roofed hotel and a cooking infrastructure. They scammed us with those two. I mentioned that I wasn't pleased, but when I think about it, how would a chef go all the way to the Amazon to cook? I'll probably cherish it as a good memory."
Despite this, Choi Hyun-seok emphasized, "If a good connection happens, it would be nice to keep a good memory. I don't want to ruin a good memory by meeting twice. I am holding on to this good memory. Memories that have become glamorized can be damaged. It was a good conversation. They mentioned the next opportunity, and I believed it when I went, but they manipulated that. Let's wrap this up."
Yoon Nam-no decided firmly, saying, "Before I speak, one important point I always think of is self-objectification and adaptability. Today, I should say 'Jungle Bob.' 'Black and White Chef' is a competitive narrative, but 'Jungle Bob' itself, with ingredients we sourced, has a nonsensical kitchen but feels romantic to me."
Chef Yoon Nam-no expressed, "Today, I want to talk about 'Jungle Bob' because it has another charm. Looking back at the photos and the food I took in the Caribbean yesterday, I realized how happy I was during the shoot. The memory of seeing people enjoy the food I made remains strong. I also had many memories of a cramped kitchen, so when I returned to Korea, I found 100 dead ants in my knife bag. I sanitized all of that, and I was surprised. I also changed my knife bags. We traveled together on the plane." This raised curiosity about how 'Caribbean Bob' will be presented in the future.
What was it like for Kim Ok-bin, who experienced both programs? He stated, "The point to watch is the ingredients. The two places are distinctly different, and the process of interaction and receiving gives scenes you won't see anywhere else, based on the background of the places we visited. Unlike the ingredients, various creatures appear, and I've never seen those creatures in Korean programs. I can't share all of them, but I'm curious about these intriguing and compelling beings."
Additionally, Kim Ok-bin shared, "As someone who has experienced both, I must say that both were very labor-intensive, yet the feeling of hardship was different. 'Peru Bob' used really unfamiliar ingredients, and during the process of dismantling, the swimmer and Chef Choi Hyun-seok suffered a lot. What surprised me in 'Peru Bob' was that I slept for the first time in a house with just a roof in the Amazon."
Kim Ok-bin expressed, "I encountered all sorts of bugs there, and it left me with glorious scars. In 'Caribbean Bob,' we had to find one designated location, and since Jun was driving, he had a tough time. Our boat needed to leave, but if the weather was bad, we had to go directly. I participated thinking it would be fun, but I had to endure all sorts of hardships. It was a tougher filming experience than a movie shoot. I hope people enjoy seeing this hardship and having fun with it."
Finally, they revealed that the target viewership rating for "Jungle Bob 2" is 6%. If they exceed that, Ryu Soo-young promised, "If we achieve 6% in the first broadcast, I will bake delicious hotteok and distribute it to 200 people." Yoon Nam-no also stated, "With part of my appearance fee, I would drive a food truck to an orphanage to provide delicious treats. I will also donate part of my appearance fee," expressing their unique goals.
Meanwhile, SBS's "Jungle Bob 2 - Peru Bob" will premiere today (27th) at 9 p.m.
[Photo] Park Jun-hyung Reporter
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