(Interview② continues) The production team of 'Let's be friends 4' has raised expectations for the strong guests who will be appearing.
On the morning of the 11th, an interview with Yang Ja-young, PD of U+ original entertainment program 'Let's be friends 4', and writer Noh Jin-young took place at a studio in Hapjeong-dong, Mapogu, Seoul.
'Let's be friends 4' is a guaranteed immersion dinner table talk show. It is a program where four 'pundits'—Han Hye-jin, Park Na-rae, Pungja, and Um Ji-yoon—discuss various stories.
So far, 'Let's be friends 4' has featured various special guests from Lee Si-eon and Hwasa to BOYNEXTDOOR's Myung-jae, Lee Han, K.Will, Park Seo-jin, CNBLUE's Lee Jung-shin, Kang Min-hyuk, Lee Seok-hoon, and Xiumin, continuing a bold talk. Additionally, the teaser announced appearances from Park Se-ri, Lee Sae-bae, and Baek Ji-young, which raised anticipation.
In response to a question about memorable episodes, Noh Jin-young noted, 'We covered a story about forgetfulness from Baek Ji-young's episode, and she really has severe forgetfulness. It's worse than the story itself. The MCs were saying things like, 'The story recipient will feel comforted and healed,' so it was full of episodes. We filmed without realizing how time passed.'
In particular, PD Yang Ja-young mentioned, 'Yang Se-hyung also recorded; he has many 'some' episodes with his long-time male and female friends, Park Na-rae and others. Actually, the MCs are Park Na-rae's friends, so we got to see Yang Se-hyung's side among Park Na-rae's friends. This led to more genuine stories about relationships naturally coming out. When my male friend is among my friends, there are moments when I wonder, 'Was he like this?' Yang Se-hyung even prepared food himself. He brought cold pork, conch, cockle, and sauces, providing a sense of serving Park Na-rae's friends, which made it fun. Although Yang Se-hyung and Park Na-rae have done a lot of broadcasting together, we got to see him in a new light. The other MCs were also very thankful.'
In addition, Park Myung-soo will appear as a guest. He said, 'He turned the filming site upside down. Originally, he doesn't do guest appearances, but we were grateful that we recruited him after 3 months of 'persistent requests'. He made such a commotion that I thought, 'How do we edit this?' due to how well the recording went.' Although we couldn't even ask half of the prepared questions, he conveyed the cheerful atmosphere of the site, saying, 'It was fun to let the mood flow.'
When Noh Jin-young was asked about the selection criteria for guests, he explained, 'Chemistry seems to be an important factor. However, if they are comfortable, the conversation flows naturally. Even if they're not close, the MCs are such veterans that they have accumulated know-how to quickly make a newcomer feel at ease and lead the talk. They should be able to come and enjoy telling stories, even without prior acquaintanceship.'
PD Yang Ja-young stated, 'Since it's entertainment and leisure, we try to recruit people the public wants to see. 'Let's be friends 4' is a show with solo guests. As such, we try to consider recruiting people the public is curious about and wants to see.' However, he also noted, 'Nowadays, it is difficult to recruit large guests through personal connections for YouTube content. We have a strong desire to share time with pleasant individuals who the viewers are curious about and can interact well with the MCs.'
When asked about the behind-the-scenes story of securing Park Myung-soo after much persistence, Noh Jin-young responded, 'He has many well-known quotes. Many people take his quotes as their mottos. I thought his perspective and interpretations were excellent. I wanted to invite him, but he doesn't like talk shows and usually doesn't appear as a guest. So, I utilized all my connections and kept asking until I secured him.'
PD Yang Ja-young mentioned, 'It turns out Park Myung-soo was busy. He has overseas schedules and live radio broadcasts. Still, he graciously appeared.' He added, 'At the end of the shoot, he asked, 'Can't I come back again?' It wasn't just a formality; he genuinely seemed to want to return and do more.' He noted, 'Park Myung-soo loves Seongsimdang bread, so we ordered it via express bus delivery. Since sharing the guest's desired food is part of the segment, I waited 1 hour to bring London bagels for Park Se-ri. The small things like this that the production team does sincerely leave a great impression on the guests.'
He stated, 'Even when filming with Baek Ji-young, I would aim to serve the dim sum hot at the right timing and immediately buy alcohol if it didn't match. These may be small things, but I think it's the production team's role to set up the atmosphere so that it feels natural, as if we're at a friend's house. I try my best in these aspects, and I appreciate when guests notice and are touched by these efforts.' (Continued in Interview④)
[Photo] STUDIO X+U
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