On Jan. 18, 2024, HongKimCoin, which ended a 1½-year journey by loudly declaring "If the coin lands heads, it will return" and throwing a coin with vigor, began a new journey when someone picked up a coin showing "heads" found on the street on Feb. 23, 2025, 403 days later. It was the moment HongKimCoin returned as DoDriver.
DoDriver returned after 402 days. At the root of their ability to reunite was a fandom called "piggy bank" and "coin wallet," now called "gonggu box." Forming an unusually thick fandom, they made their presence felt by voicing opposition when news broke that HongKimCoin would end, even staging a truck protest in front of KBS, and after the revival as DoDriver they recently supported the show with subway advertisements.
"Even when the program was about to end back then, the fans opposed it a great deal. They even held a truck protest to show their opposition, and although we've experienced many programs, this kind of experience was almost new to us, so we were especially grateful. Recently they even placed ads in subway stations cheering for us, and the job of an entertainer is one that wants to be loved by the public. There was an event nearby, so after it ended I went to the station where the ad was installed and saw it in person, and I found myself looking at it for quite a long time. It was gratifying to know it was done out of affection for us, not simply to promote the program." (Cho Sae-ho)
"A lot of those kinds of ads are usually done by idols. So I wondered a lot why the gonggu box people like our five-person group. I thought it might be because each of us works hard individually, and when the five of us come together there's something that makes you want to hug them. Maybe they watched us struggle and that's why, but because they love us so much, we can fully feel that affection." (Joo Woo-jae)
Why were they able to form such a thick fandom? Perhaps it was because their struggles with low ratings, their shortcomings that they covered for each other, and their bickering that still produced harmless laughter resonated with viewers.
"I think the core of our chemistry is our shortcomings. The reason Jin-kyung nuna, Chang-hee and I were close was because we each had many shortcomings and filled in for each other. In DoDriver we also see invisible shortcomings in each other, so I think we take good care of those." (Cho Sae-ho)
"Individually we seem flawless, but when we get together we become lacking. Even Joo Woo-jae becomes lacking. So I think it's worth thinking deeply about why that happens." (Hong Jin Kyung)
"It's not that something falls short so much as that a strange color appears when we combine. As Wooyoung said, it's exactly like becoming girls' high school students and boys' high school students. In social life you try to keep up appearances and avoid childish pranks, but when the five of us are together we accept each other, so even if we throw ourselves around and play childishly like in our teens, it's all accepted, and maybe that's why we seem that way. It's like becoming pure like children." (Joo Woo-jae)
Thus returned DoDriver was able to spend Chuseok with the fans they had hoped to since HongKimCoin. There was Chuseok during HongKimCoin, but they couldn't do a noteworthy special, and because the final episode was styled as an "early Chuseok special," the Chuseok they returned to after parting was especially moving.
"During HongKimCoin we had to pull ourselves together because our ratings were low, and every recording began with anxiety. At some point we became detached from ratings, but we felt a great sense of regret and apology for not being able to properly give anything to the piggy bank and coin wallet fans. The first Chuseok we face as DoDriver feels like we are now keeping the promise we couldn't keep then, and I want to work harder than during HongKimCoin. Although HongKimCoin ended regretfully, returning as DoDriver feels like we are keeping things ourselves." (Jang Woo-young)
"During HongKimCoin we simply lived as if there were no tomorrow. Back then our catchphrase was 'I want to do the opening wearing a padded jacket.' So if we spent Chuseok with anxiety then, now that Netflix has a fixed number of episodes, much of that anxiety has gone and we feel more at ease." (Joo Woo-jae)
"This Chuseok I'm grateful and thankful to be able to be with our gonggu box people. During HongKimCoin we couldn't properly deliver Chuseok greetings and the show ended, so I'm happy to be able to give Chuseok greetings with greater gratitude to those who waited for us. Filming took place ahead of Chuseok, and nonetheless being able to be together feels like the start of a happy Chuseok holiday." (Cho Sae-ho)
On the second day of the long holiday that lasts up to 10 days, on the 4th the DoDriver members gathered at a studio in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, and recorded, working tirelessly to give viewers laughter. Though Chuseok is a major family holiday when people want to be with relatives, DoDriver was happy to be able to work, and by gathering and sharing joy they showed a deepened chemistry — the reason they were noticed and called the "second Infinite Challenge" since HongKimCoin.
"Considering the platform of Netflix, being in the rankings increases exposure. HongKimCoin aired on the public broadcaster KBS at a set day and time, and some people would say they were 'watching it,' but DoDriver is released every Sunday at 5 p.m. and some people don't subscribe to Netflix, so accessibility isn't easy. And because if you're not in the rankings you tend not to be exposed, I hope DoDriver can be seen well everywhere." (Hong Jin Kyung)
"Personally I'd like to meet gonggu box people. I'd like to capture it in small content if possible and express my gratitude. I want to meet gonggu box fans through events like watching DoDriver together at a movie theater, talk with them and make memories." (Cho Sae-ho)
"I really hope I can do DoDriver with the real brothers and sisters for a long, long time. As long as our stamina holds and our bodies allow, I hope we can keep going anywhere and maintain this connection for a long time." (Jang Woo-young)
"Jin-kyung celebrated 30 years on HongKimCoin, and I celebrated 30 years on DoDriver. By debut order Joo Woo-jae is the youngest among us, but I want to celebrate his 30th anniversary with him. Gonggu box people gave us great love, and I want to repay that favor. The person who helped you when you were at your lowest is the most precious. Starting as piggy bank and coin wallet and becoming gonggu box, I think we should repay them once." (Kim Sook)
"A program can't last forever, but I hope our relationships last literally forever. If the relationship continues, someday we can do this anywhere in any form, so remaining close now and continuing to get along well in the future itself feels like a gift we can give to the fans." (Joo Woo-jae)
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