The spin-off Daedanan Guide, capturing the even closer real sibling chemistry of the Great Guide cast, meets viewers.
On the 28th afternoon, MBC Every1's new variety show "The Great Guide 2.5–Daedanan Guide" held an online production presentation via live streaming. The presentation was hosted by announcer Park Ji-min, and PD Woo Tak-woo, Park Myung-soo, Kim Dae-ho, Choi Daniel, Lee Mu-jin, Jeon So-min, and Oh My Girl's Hyojung appeared and spoke.
"The Great Guide 2.5–Daedanan Guide" is one of the MBC Every1 "The Great Guide" series, presenting a pleasant travelogue that viewers can easily follow before embarking on the long journey of "The Great Guide 3." With all season 2 members — Park Myung-soo, Kim Dae-ho, Choi Daniel, Lee Mu-jin, Jeon So-min and Hyojung — joining, former travel mates Kim Dae-ho and Choi Daniel will serve as guides, promising a fresh kind of fun.
On the day, Park Myung-soo greeted, "I will join as an MC in 2.5. I think it's a step toward season 3 rather than a leap, and I'm always ready. I'll try to create hyper big fun for you. Please wait and enjoy vicariously with 2.5. It's so fun." Kim Dae-ho followed, introducing himself as "the de facto veteran who has continuously participated from season 1 to 2.5," and said, "Honestly, in season 1 and 2 I participated as a traveler, but this time I can show a new side as a guide, so I'm excited. We prepared diligently, so please enjoy it."
Choi Daniel called himself "the power behind The Great Guide," drawing laughter. He said, "After 'The Great Guide,' I think that by doing 'Daedanan Guide' together we will show new fun and new chemistry, and viewers will feel big fun and hyper fun." Lee Mu-jin said, "I joined from the second trip in season 2, traveled on wonderful trips, and among the older brothers here who became studio members in 'Daedanan Guide,' I have the lowest appearance rate and am the youngest who must work the hardest. I will work hard going forward," offering a humble greeting that drew attention.
Jeon So-min said, "I was in the studio for 'The Great Guide 2' and then became a travel mate and directly went on trips. I feel like I'm about a '.' in 2.5. I take pride in thinking I will play a role like new ventilation, like oxygen. I will be the vent," showing determination. Hyojung said, "I joined from season 1 through 2.5. I was lucky to join. With my own bright energy, I'm giving a lot of energy to 'Daedanan Guide,' so please watch a lot and show Oh My Girl's Hyojung a lot of love," appealing to viewers.
Meanwhile, announcer Park Ji-min, who hosted, also joins the second trip of Daedanan Guide, the Laos episode, as a new travel mate. Kim Dae-ho introduced her, saying, "She is a junior announcer from my former workplace, MBC. We are working together this time," and Park Ji-min said, "I am Park Ji-min, junior to announcer Kim Dae-ho. This is my first travel program, so I was very nervous and excited, but after going, it felt like a dream and was great. Traveling with a workplace superior — I thought I might represent the feelings of the millions of office workers in Korea, and if viewers empathize, it could be an interesting program," which provoked Kim Dae-ho. Hearing this, Park Myung-soo asked, "He isn't your boss now, right?" and Park Ji-min replied bluntly, "That's right. Now he's just the man from the neighborhood," causing laughter.
When PD Woo Tak-woo was asked why they returned with 2.5 instead of going straight to season 3, he said, "Because 'The Great Guide 2' was loved by many, we thought we could continue this series. It would be a lie to say we didn't feel pressure. Still, having the cast who were with season 2 made us feel supported and able to produce well. I thought it would be fun and yield different stories if studio members like senior So-min and Hyojung joined the trip. So before doing the difficult, grueling journey of season 3, before going on a far voyage, we thought why not portray trips closer to home that make viewers feel 'I could do this too,' so we created a spin-off called 2.5," he explained.
On the meaning of 'Daedanan,' he said, "Many may have noticed that 'Dae-da' refers to seniors Dae-ho and Daniel. It also means not great but remarkable. It also means Dae-ho and Daniel's eventful guide. That's how we came up with the name 'Daedanan Guide.'"
When asked why Kim Dae-ho and Choi Daniel were chosen as guides, he said, "Actually in season 2 they were the two with the most different travel tendencies. Senior Dae-ho likes nature and senior Daniel is an urban, city-loving type. We wanted to continue The Great Guide series, but wondered if they could work together given their differing tendencies, so we intended to narrow the gap between them by asking each to guide in their preferred travel style. That was the planning intention for this trip."
On the criteria for selecting destinations, he said, "Because Daedanan Guide is a program where seniors Dae-ho and Daniel directly guide, the two chose the destinations themselves. We did make a request: choose places that viewers could actually follow and try rather than faraway countries like in 'The Great Guide.' They chose unique destinations well, which is good. Some members have regular jobs, so it's true that it's hard for everyone to travel together. Still, I thought the season 2 members had good chemistry, and it was a shame the relationship was ending just as they were getting closer, so I earnestly asked if we could at least produce something in the studio, and everyone gladly agreed, which made me happy," he shared behind-the-scenes of casting.
The cast honestly explained their reasons for joining. Park Myung-soo said, "I learned a lot through 'The Great Guide.' It's hard to travel to countries you really want to go to because of schedules. Even though it's work, traveling made me happy because of the members' chemistry. I was happy doing it. PD Woo Tak-woo said the response was good and the season continued, and when asked to join again I gladly accepted despite many commitments," he emphasized.
Kim Dae-ho said, "I was used to traveling alone. I had negative impressions of guided travel when I joined 'The Great Guide.' Now I feel the joy of traveling together, so I wanted to feel that fun again and joined." Choi Daniel said, "Dae-ho hyung usually enjoys solo travel. I worried he might think only of himself, but after traveling together it wasn't like that at all. Especially during 'Daedanan Guide,' I felt Dae-ho hyung's consideration and willingness to be together. If we reunite for 'The Great Guide season 3,' it will feel different. Through this I learned his true worth. He's a good person. I hadn't thought so before, but I realized he is a good person," he praised.
Lee Mu-jin said, "The reason I accepted so readily is that I've long lived a life focused on my main job and even when I have free time I prioritize going to the studio, so appearing in season 2 was a huge departure and required courage. After 'The Great Guide 2' ended, I kept the good memories like a dream and returned to my work, but nothing went well. The memories of that trip were so good," he confessed, and Choi Daniel joked, "Babsae didn't go well," drawing laughter. Mu-jin, provoked, said, "Even if I give a serious answer, the memories with the comfortable hyungs who interrupt and tease me were so good that I eagerly awaited casting. Now that I'm here, even if it's studio shooting, I came running to do it," he added.
Jeon So-min said, "I felt a big merit in being able to go with friends. Since Choi Daniel was doing it, I was curious when I could travel with Daniel, and I was in a travel rut. Repeatedly going to the same places without challenge had drained my desire to travel, so when this casting came I thought it was a great opportunity to break myself and go out into the world and experience new things, so I gladly joined. As I expected, there were friends and good people, and although I'm used to independent travel, I found many charms in guided travel," she said.
Hyojung said, "I have fond memories of going to the U.K. in season 1. I felt how perfect it could be and how it can permeate me for a long time, so I would pick the U.K. as my favorite travel destination. Watching season 2 made me want to go so badly that I was restless and felt I could do better even if tired. When they contacted me for 2.5, I was happy to join. I have a small role here, and like Dae-ho oppa I like nature, so I thought he would satisfy my longing for nature, which made me decide to participate more," she said.
Park Ji-min said, "Except for senior Dae-ho, it's my first time with everyone. Traveling with people you meet for the first time is an ironic situation, but they made me feel so comfortable and I missed the unnis and oppas after returning. It felt like I took vacation time and traveled, not that I went for work," showing affection for the members.
When asked about the viewing points unique to Daedanan Guide, PD Woo Tak-woo said, "In season 2, they actually traveled as four. In a way, I thought they were like brothers. I consider Daedanan Guide an all-day project in the variety world — think of it as a mixed group. This time the viewing point is sibling chemistry rather than brother chemistry. There are truly close genuine-friend moments and lines, words and actions that only close siblings would show, and we enjoyed those on set. I hope viewers watch for those points."
Park Myung-soo said about this season, "You can see the chemistry between Dae-ho and Daniel. Unexpected chemistry almost made me run out. Bromance comes out and so on. This isn't a joke; it's a new challenge in variety. Later Dae-ho and Daniel might even get married. It's a very unique challenge. You feel their male bromance, and the tragic heroine So-min becomes jealous and steals Daniel. Dae-ho watches from behind in tears. It becomes a narrative drama. And suddenly there is the chaotic woman Hyojung. You could sell it to Netflix. It's a drama. Then an announcer appears. I've done variety for 33 years, but I don't think it should go this far. Viewers may be stunned and exclaim, 'No!'" he joked, adding intrigue.
When asked about differences from the previous The Great Guide, he quipped, "You see the '.5' attached. You can think of it as unfinished." He added, "We're preparing season 3. Choosing a country and preparing tours requires much preparation, but for viewers waiting for season 3 we briefly show a spin-off. Far countries are hard for our viewers to visit due to time and expense. In '.5' we introduce trips you could take immediately — 'Is this good? Shall we go tomorrow or the day after?' — trips you can experience right away. It's a midservice for season 3. Season 3 will be chaotic. Screaming. Mammoth-scale," raising expectations.
Finally, Hyojung urged viewers, "You can see true sibling chemistry; it's chaotic and unpredictable, so please watch," and Jeon So-min said, "Please watch to see how various people travel and become one, how they understand and enjoy each other," while Lee Mu-jin said, "When I heard the two would guide, I was worried as someone who had been on the trip and felt fatigued by it and worn by it, because it was such a chaotic trip. I hope you look forward to a travelogue full of the variety elements you imagined."
Choi Daniel said, "We finished filming Dae-ho and Daniel's guide with fun. Leaving for the shoot, I felt we shared meaningful, memorable time with So-min and Hyojung, and I hope that feeling is conveyed to viewers," and Kim Dae-ho added, "I think the members are all points. When points gather they become a line, and we think that line is the path we guide. If you follow that path well, you'll see a beautiful surface forming a picture. I guarantee you'll travel following a more realistic guide different from trips you've seen before, so feel free to watch and follow along."
Meanwhile, "The Great Guide 2.5–Daedanan Guide" premieres today (the 28th) at 8:30 p.m.<
[Photo] MBC Every1
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