Whenever Possible production team expressed affection for Yu Jae-seok and Yoo Yeon-seok.
SBS variety show Whenever Possible (director Choi Bo-pil/writer Chae Jin-a) is a "gap conquest" variety that gifts luck in the brief spare moments encountered in daily life. Since its first broadcast in Apr. 2024, Whenever Possible has consistently ranked No. 1 in its time slot in metropolitan ratings and 2049 ratings for Tuesday variety shows, and it even claimed the overall No. 1 spot among 2049 ratings for variety and drama, cementing an irreplaceable presence that captured both buzz and ratings. In particular, it has repeatedly proven its strength as a Tuesday variety powerhouse by setting new personal best ratings at the end of each season. In response, Whenever Possible director Choi Bo-pil and writer Chae Jin-a shared their feelings about the show's transition to a seasonal "Meal Friends" format and behind-the-scenes stories in a written interview.
Director Choi Bo-pil explained the change in Yu Jae-seok, who has been showing a new side in season 4, saying, "Whenever Possible has firmly taken root as a seasonal show, so now he seems to enjoy it with less burden." He added, "Whether he leads or goes along, he accepts everything comfortably within the natural flow of the program. In that sense, there are many situations where he is taken aback by Yoo Yeon-seok and the new gap friends and turned completely inside out. I think Yu Jae-seok's ease and naturalness are the program's biggest strengths."
Director Choi also expressed gratitude toward Yoo Yeon-seok. He praised him, saying, "The greatest blessing as a PD is meeting cast members who are good and who love the program, and Yoo Yeon-seok fulfills both as an MC," and added, "He excels at drawing out the gap friends' characters and creating a comfortable atmosphere. At the same time, fitting for a best-couple award winner, he upgrades his bickering chemistry with Yu Jae-seok day by day. As an actor he is in the top 1% of variety sense, and I think he has now risen to the ranks of a truly distinguished MC beyond being just an actor." He went on to comment on Yoo Yeon-seok's recent venture into YouTube talk shows and his growing variety presence: "Doing the show with Yu Jae-seok has definitely helped him hone his ability to define a character. He is also very curious about the world and knowledgeable, so he can talk about any topic. He enjoys conversation, and I think that quality has shone through."
The solid lineup of gap friends in season 4 is attracting attention each episode. Among them, the standout is the undisputed "lady of the living room," Cha Taehyun, who has achieved the show's personal best ratings each season. Director Choi expressed affection, saying, "I consider Cha Taehyun practically family and a member," and teased, "I feel so grateful that I think I will someday reveal all his good deeds. I plan to invite him every season up to season 20," raising expectations. Writer Chae Jin-a also hinted about future gap friend lineups, saying, "More welcome friends from various fields will visit," further heightening anticipation.
Meanwhile, writer Chae revealed behind-the-scenes details of the "gap missions" that deliver a thrilling dopamine rush each episode. She said, "The production team has improved its skills by making games every week. But on site, when watching the MCs and gap friends play, games we thought would 'definitely succeed' fail at stage one, and things we thought were 'difficult' surprisingly succeed up to stage three." She added, "Recently, Yu Jae-seok earned the nickname 'practice messi.' He's an ace in rehearsals but fails to show his skills only during the challenge. These unpredictable situations add to the fun." She also named the "sliding peak" from the Lee Je-hoon and Pyo Ye-jin episode as the most memorable mission of season 4, recalling, "That was one of those 'sudden success' days as Yu Jae-seok and Yoo Yeon-seok often say. I realized Yoo Yeon-seok's nickname 'Yuhanbang' wasn't given for nothing."
Director Choi said, "One of Whenever Possible's strengths is showing even the raw moments up to the point of failure." He added, "For a moment of success to shine requires many failures, and that process is also a large part of the program. So we always think about how to convey the cast members' emotions as faithfully as possible." Writer Chae also said, "Sometimes I wonder if it's okay for a variety shoot to be this quiet. Everyone watches with the same intensity as if watching a sports game. When they succeed, gap friends and gap owners rejoice like a team even though they are meeting for the first time. I am grateful to everyone who approaches the show so sincerely." The two recommended three missions among the many gap missions for viewers: "For dopamine-stimulating guessing games, the egg carton + ping-pong ball game from the Cha Taehyun and Kim Do-hoon episode; the ping-pong ball guessing mission from the Son Suk-ku and Kim Da-mi episode; and for teamwork, stacking dice with chopsticks from the Choo Young-Woo and Shin Si A episode," urging viewers to try them.
The production team also expressed gratitude for the viewers' generous interest. Director Choi said, "We do a lot of monitoring, and as a PD I'm very proud and thankful. Being called 'meal friends' and 'late-night snack friends' is the best to hear, and I think that's our program's positioning. I also remember comments saying it's a 'show that earnestly plays silly games.'" Writer Chae said, "People saying gap owners are like 'my mom' or 'my friend' is impressive to us. We can't include all their stories due to time, but we are grateful they cherish them as another main character of Whenever Possible."
Finally, Director Choi, who experienced a solid fandom through Running Man, spoke about Whenever Possible's potential to become a long-running show now that it has become a seasonal program. He said, "As with Running Man, I'm thinking a lot about how to present various games," and emphasized, "Because fans like the members' chemistry itself, it's important to think about how to newly express the chemistry of the two MCs of Whenever Possible each season. Expanding the show's universe using gap friends is another point." Writer Chae added, "Thanks to many people, we've reached season 4. I hope we can continue to be the meal friends who fill viewers' gaps for a long time," raising expectations for Whenever Possible's successful continuation as a seasonal show.
Meanwhile, the Tuesday healing variety Whenever Possible, featuring more refined chat chemistry and dopamine-exploding games, airs every Tuesday at 9 p.m.
[Photo] SBS variety Whenever Possible
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