Lee Kyung-kyu opened the new year cheerfully with the wit and outlook befitting the "lend" of variety shows on Hangout With Yoo.
On the program aired on the 3rd, MBC variety show Hangout With Yoo showed Yu Jae-seok, Haha, Joo Woo-jae and Heo Kyunghwan visiting the "lend" Lee Kyung-kyu to offer New Year greetings for the 2026 year of the red horse.
The broadcast recorded a 5.6% household rating in the Seoul metropolitan area. The 20-54 rating, used from this year as a core channel competitiveness indicator reflecting changes in the media consumption environment, logged 2.9%, making it the No. 1 Saturday variety show. The top one-minute moment was the "special mission! dad's great challenge" scene, when Yu Jae-seok, who followed Lee Kyung-kyu, saw the highest minute-by-minute rating soar to 7.9% at the moment before blowing out the final candle. (Nielsen Korea, Seoul metropolitan area standard)
The members began recording by celebrating Heo Kyunghwan, who had participated in "Insamoh (a gathering of unpopular people)," for becoming a variety trend. Yu Jae-seok said with delight, "Isn't Kyunghwan a star we raised?" and Heo Kyunghwan cautiously appealed, "(I) cleared the schedule (Thursday, the Hangout With Yoo recording day)," and "My week is Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday," drawing laughter. He added that alongside popularity, his agency's care began quickly, saying, "Don't do anything at the company. They are calming things down."
Next, the members checked their fortunes through physiognomy for the new year. Yu Jae-seok was found not to be handsome but to be a "handsome-faced man." When the physiognomist said, "His wife's physiognomy is good, so he benefits. His wife has a share in his popularity and honor," Yu Jae-seok agreed, "That's right. I did better after marriage."
The members' lookalike animal physiognomies showed Yu Jae-seok as a mountain goat, Haha as a mouse (hamster), Joo Woo-jae as a fox and Heo Kyunghwan as a capybara, boasting an astonishing sync rate. When asked about the four of them together, the physiognomist said, "Heo Kyunghwan stands out," which made Heo Kyunghwan's heart sink, then added, "He will push forward from now on," fully recharging Heo Kyunghwan's confidence.
Then they met the "lend" Lee Kyung-kyu, who told Heo Kyunghwan, who had one foot in Hangout With Yoo, "Now you must put down roots," offering words of encouragement. He continued, "This year is the last. It's the best year. If you don't seize the opportunity, you'll end up just an ordinary entertainer," delivering a timed variety prognosis to Heo Kyunghwan. To Haha he offered encouragement that, as a benefit of a large family, he could do the program for a long time (?), and to Joo Woo-jae, who talked back, he kept teasing, "You stay still. Didn't you see what (Lee) Yun-seok does? He doesn't even breathe in front of me," drawing laughs.
Lee Kyung-kyu's remarks wanting Yu Jae-seok's seat beside him made everyone burst out laughing. While offering words of encouragement to Yu Jae-seok, Lee Kyung-kyu mentioned Yoo Quiz on the Block, and Yu Jae-seok said in surprise, "I didn't expect you to think of 'Yoo Quiz.' It's very fresh." Lee Kyung-kyu had the grand idea of filling the void for now and vacating the seat later, and pointing at Joo Woo-jae said, "If this kid sits down, he won't give up the spot," teasing again.
Attention also focused on Lee Kyung-kyu's predictions for the variety landscape in 2026. Lee Kyung-kyu talked about the expanded stage of activity for entertainers due to media diversification and said, "Big stars like Jae-seok or me won't appear. Lots of small fry will appear," predicting that "in 2026 small fry will dominate." He analyzed that when there are many outlets, big names don't stand out.
In the midst of Lee Kyung-kyu's fiery speech, a surprise guest appeared quietly: Lee Kyung-kyu's daughter Lee Ye-rim and son-in-law Kim Young-chan. The stern Lee Kyung-kyu turned into a suddenly gentle father at the couple's arrival. Then Lee Kyung-kyu and the members began attempting to blow out 20 candles with nunchaku in the "special mission! dad's great challenge" to obtain a gift for Ye-rim. After continued failures, Yu Jae-seok, who has game nerves, handled the candles Lee Kyung-kyu the father could not finish. Fathers, husbands and uncles joined forces and succeeded in blowing out the candles on the fourth attempt, sending dopamine soaring.
Meanwhile, the next broadcast preview featured Yu Jae-seok, Haha, Joo Woo-jae and Heo Kyunghwan attending the "baby (Kim) Gwang-gyu's 60th birthday party," raising expectations about what laughs it will bring. MBC's Hangout With Yoo airs every Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
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