'Mr. House Husband' retained the Saturday entertainment throne for 10 consecutive weeks thanks to the efforts of the Park Seo-jin family.
The episode aired on KBS 2TV on the 2nd featured Park Seo-jin's parents' digital adaptation journey and a chaotic travel story in Gangneung with Ji Sang-ryeol and his in-laws. The viewership rating recorded 6.6% based on Nielsen Korea's nationwide tally, and a scene of Seo-jin's parents shocked at the amount they ordered via kiosk showed a peak rating of 7.8%.
In particular, the viewership rating marked the second-highest across all programs aired that day, including terrestrial, cable, and comprehensive channels, proving consistent popularity as the key indicator for advertisers, 2049 viewership rating also recorded a high figure.
On that day, special guest Ju-yeon of The Boyz appeared, and a video of Park Seo-jin was revealed. Park Seo-jin's parents, who were staying at his house before moving, struggled with using the induction stove. In response, Hyo-jung taught his mother how to use the induction stove, and they made bibimbap topped with fried eggs for breakfast. Ju-yeon, watching Hyo-jung enjoying bibimbap with a spatula, laughed and said, "It would be too cute to have a younger sibling like that. If they eat that well, you'd want to keep feeding them." To that, Seo-jin replied, "No way. That would ruin me," drawing laughs.
Seo-jin then mentioned that his father had expressed a desire to travel to Ulleungdo for his 70th birthday party. Seo-jin said, "I was surprised when my brother Hyo-young contacted me first to suggest a trip. It seems like my brother has changed a lot after the birthday party." Later, Hyo-jung asked his father what he thought about overseas travel, and his father replied, "Going abroad is just expensive and uncomfortable because I don't know English," rejecting the idea. However, he later conveyed, "Since Seo-jin earns money from playing the drum, parents shouldn't hold back. So I thought of Ulleungdo."
Seo-jin then used AI ChatGPT to inquire about Ulleungdo, and his parents were surprised to see an AI that could communicate naturally like a person. The AI described Park Seo-jin as "warm-hearted, but not the idol-type handsome; he's the type that mother-in-law would like." When Hyo-jung asked about the completion level of Seo-jin's plastic surgery, the AI responded, "The completion level of Park Seo-jin's plastic surgery is fairly high." After explaining the specific surgery areas and expenses, it humorously noted, "As the joke goes, he has had everything done except for his ears and eyeballs, indicating that fortune-tellers assess him as having no fortune to speak of."
Following that, Park Seo-jin taught his parents how to use a taxi app to aid in their digital adaptation. Seeing Seo-jin's parents struggle with the app, MC Eun Ji-won empathized, saying, "I thought it was overwhelming too. I've only waved my hand to hail a taxi," surprising everyone. Baek Ji-young then asked Eun Ji-won, "You need to meet a resourceful woman. (Your prospective wife) is resourceful, right?" Eun Ji-won replied, "Of course, she knows all about that," drawing attention.
The next day, Park Seo-jin prepared a special mission to help his parents with their digital adaptation. He expressed, "My parents hesitate and are scared about new things. Since I can't always be by their side, I wanted to help them overcome this." Ju-yeon added, "If you learn this, it will be very useful for you."
The first mission was to take a taxi using the app to reach the restaurant, their appointment location. Although the parents attempted to use the taxi app as they learned from their children, they ultimately failed, honestly stating, "I guess I got nervous because of the people, and it didn't go well." Observing the video, Eun Ji-won related, "Thinking about it, I find it daunting. When did we get to this age? Even for me, if I'm not used to using (digital devices), I get frustrated and give up; how much tougher it must be for older adults?" showing deep empathy.
Eventually, the parents managed to catch an empty taxi among the booked vehicles and arrived at the restaurant with difficulty, but another mission awaited them. This time, it was to order food using a kiosk. Confused by the unfamiliar screen layout, various options, and automatic reset due to timeouts, the parents became flustered. As the father tried to find and press the 'call staff' button, Park Seo-jin stopped him, creating a humorous moment.
However, with the encouragement and support of their children, the parents did not give up and eventually succeeded in ordering from the kiosk. Overjoyed, they even ordered over 300,000 won worth of food, surprising everyone, but the family enjoyed the meal together, sharing warm smiles once again. Park Seo-jin expressed, "I thought about how much patience my parents had while raising me as a child. Now I want to show a lot of patience and teach them."
The digital mission that Park Seo-jin prepared for his parents transcended mere experience; it was a meaningful challenge aimed at bridging the digital divide between generations. The sight of the parents boldly approaching necessary but strange and difficult changes left a deep resonance and empathy among many viewers, while the content presented in a light yet sincere manner addressed the issue of digital alienation in everyday life. It showcased that broadcasting can serve as healthy content that fosters understanding among families and communication between generations.
Ji Sang-ryeol took on the role of travel guide for the four siblings of his older brother and sister-in-law. It was a planned trip by the four siblings who live separately for the sick older brother of Ji Sang-ryeol's sister-in-law. Ji Sang-ryeol called Park Seo-jin, who has experience as a travel guide in Sacheon, seeking help.
While providing Ji Sang-ryeol with various tips, Park Seo-jin emphasized, "The biggest gift is to reveal new connections." The MCs mentioned actress Kang Ye-na, who had previously created a romantic atmosphere, and Ji Sang-ryeol teased Park Seo-jin, saying, "You talked a lot about Hyun-sook noona last time?" creating laughter.
An enthusiastic guide, Ji Sang-ryeol led the trip, but he faced criticism for his clumsiness. Whether due to a lack of umbrellas or his poor photography skills, he received complaints and rebukes. In a dramatic move, Ji Sang-ryeol even took off his clothes and rolled in the sand to express his frustration, eventually jumping into the sea in an unpredictable action, drawing laughter.
Later, Ji Sang-ryeol enjoyed delicious food with his in-laws, revealing the rare and deep bond of family love between in-laws. The siblings of his sister-in-law particularly expressed gratitude by recalling a time when Ji Sang-ryeol entered the hospital to wash their parents' hands and feet while they were alive. Ji Sang-ryeol reflected, "You said you would definitely see me get married..." while reminiscing about his sister-in-law's parents.
The conversation quickly shifted to the topic of Ji Sang-ryeol's marriage, with Ji Sang-ryeol mentioning, "Park Seo-jin told me to meet Hyun-sook noona," referring to the dating tips shared during the Gangneung trip. Ji Sang-ryeol attempted a video call for the sisters of his sister-in-law, who claimed to be Park Seo-jin's fans, resulting in laughter due to Park Seo-jin's witty conversation and impressive fan service.
Next, they headed to the temple where Ji Sang-ryeol's sister-in-law's parents were. They shared their family stories at the temple, expressing gratitude for the efforts of Ji Sang-ryeol's sister-in-law. Having cared for her parents for 30 years in place of her sisters living abroad, and taking care of her in-laws, Ji Sang-ryeol's sister-in-law shared tearfully for the first time, "I never talked about it, but it was really hard over the years."
Eventually, Ji Sang-ryeol's sister-in-law recalled the day she collapsed from angina while taking care of the elders. She remarked, "Even when I was taken to the emergency room, what I remember is Sang-ryeol uncle saying, 'Sister-in-law, I'm here. Don't worry. Nothing will happen.' That really touched my heart. I was so grateful for that," she revealed. Ji Sang-ryeol and his sister-in-law's family also cheered on her brother who was about to undergo brain tumor surgery.
This episode of 'Mr. House Husband' resonated with many through the digital adaptation journey of Park Seo-jin's parents, highlighting the warmth of Ji Sang-ryeol's family love that reaffirms the true meaning of family. The sincere stories from both families brought great laughter and emotion to viewers alike.
'Mr. House Husband' airs every Saturday at 9:20 p.m. on KBS 2TV.
[Photo] Provided, OSEN DB
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