"Surprise" is entering a break after 23 years.
On the morning of the 26th, MBC aired the 1,185th episode of Mysterious TV Surprise. At the end of the broadcast, a subtitle read, "First broadcast Sunday, April 7, 2002; 800th episode Sunday, Jan. 22, 2018; 1,185th episode Oct. 26, 2025. A total of 1,185 Sundays, we will take a break after 23 years," marking the end of a long journey.
It continued, "To the sea, to the river, to the mountains; in heat waves, in torrential rain; to Egypt, to Hollywood, to the Louvre Museum in France, to a hockey rink in Canada. For 23 years it was a nonstop, surprising journey. We will pause this long trip for a while to recharge and come back," and added, "We look forward to seeing you in 2026."
Earlier, MBC said Mysterious TV Surprise would take a short break for reorganization. MBC said, "After the Oct. 26 broadcast of episode 1,185, Mysterious TV Surprise will pause its 23-year run for a short time and return to viewers in a new form early next year." First broadcast on April 7, 2002, Mysterious TV Surprise has entertained viewers by reenacting mysteries, bizarre incidents and unbelievable stories from around the world, as well as hidden stories of stars.
Over 23 years, Mysterious TV Surprise has owned Sunday mornings with fascinating stories and became known as a national program after winning first place in ratings in its time slot and earning viewers' great love.
Meanwhile, on the 16th MBC said Mysterious TV Surprise would upgrade the program to fit the changing broadcasting environment and, after reorganization, return early next year with a new format and even more surprising stories. The production team said, "This is not the end of the program but a short rest to come back better, so please look forward to our return in early 2026."
In response to the news, Kim Ha-young, who had a long association with Mysterious TV Surprise as a reenactment actor, said, "On the first day of my honeymoon in Bali, I suddenly heard this news, and my honeymoon, which should have been happy, could not be. Saying goodbye to my Surprise family who I had been with for 22 years made me upset even though I was away. I wondered how the Surprise family on set would feel while I was gone... and my Jang-geum characters have aged so much... I wanted to be there for the last moment... A thousand thoughts swirled in my head and my honeymoon was a cycle of crying and laughing."
She said, "There wasn't much time until the end, and because my long honeymoon overlapped with the holiday, I had only two episodes left to film; I was so anxious I thought I would go crazy. When I returned to the set, no one said anything. It didn't feel like the Surprise set I had come to for 22 years. They must have felt the same as I did. Whether you've been here 22 years or one year, we're all Surprise family. Tomorrow is finally the last day of filming. I knew this day would come sometime, but I think I still didn't want to accept it. I hope everyone can film with a smile. Coming soon again next year!! See you tomorrow, and see you again," promising to meet again.
Afterward, Kim Ha-young confirmed she watched the live broadcast of episode 1,185 on social media, and viewers who had followed Mysterious TV Surprise for a long time expressed their regrets in comments saying, "We'll be waiting." The official Mysterious TV Surprise account also received responses such as "You must come back for season 2" and "See you in 2026."
[Photo] MBC
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