Actor Lee Sung-min has immediately emerged as the biggest beneficiary as soon as "Punghyanggo 2" was released, and he is being mentioned early as a candidate for this year's Pinggego Grand Prize.
On the 24th, episode 1 of "Punghyanggo 2" was released on the YouTube channel DdeunDdeun. The journey of Yu Jae-seok, Jee Seokjin, Lee Sung-min and Yang Se-chan as they travel to Vienna, Austria without using apps captivated members of Pinggego as soon as it was released. Accordingly, the video recorded 2.88 million views within a day of release and is approaching 3 million views. Despite a runtime of nearly two hours at 1 hour and 48 minutes, praise such as "I expected good things, but it was more entertaining than expected" has poured in, driving word of mouth and repeat viewings.
In particular, Lee Sung-min's performance stands out. Even though he won best supporting actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards two days before filming for the film "No Other Choice," Lee Sung-min's unpretentiousness, like that of an ordinary middle-aged man, has captured not only the members of "Punghyanggo 2" but also viewers. Lee Sung-min was notably the type to courteously take care of Jee Seokjin, who is only two years his senior, and on "Punghyanggo 2," which requires traveling without apps, he put on reading glasses to read maps and understand local geography, showing leadership that surprised viewers.
Although he had been shy, saying "I can't speak English" and "I don't talk to foreigners," he surprised by taking the lead, recalling actor Hwang Jung-min from the first season of "Punghyanggo" and showing another side as a "man-wasp." Because he values "group life," clashes provided laughs and entertainment when he grew frustrated with Jee Seokjin and Yu Jae-seok for looking for exchange bureaus to save on fees or visiting mobile carriers for roaming.
At the same time, he was affectionate toward the youngest, Yang Se-chan, and the production staff, who felt like daughters. While Yu Jae-seok and Jee Seokjin, the "P" types, were pushed around moment to moment, he supported them alongside production manager Yang Se-chan, and they wandered through Vienna in minus-5-degree weather looking for a hotel in a peak-season destination without a reservation. He left steak from the business-class in-flight meal for the production staff who could not taste it, and even when ordering a cup of coffee he made sure to take care of the production staff as well.
Members of Pinggego are ecstatic over Lee Sung-min's appearance as a neighborhood man. In episode 1 of "Punghyanggo 2," comments such as "Lee Sung-min's personality is so charming. He's not withdrawn and his problem-solving skills are excellent," "Thinking that my father wandered for two hours without lodging in that cold weather makes me sad but also so funny," "Lee Sung-min taking care of the staff is so warm," and "Lee Sung-min is like my excited father seeing his first overseas trip" have resonated.
Hwang Jung-min, who starred in the first season of "Punghyanggo," quickly grabbed that year's Pinggego Grand Prize. As "Punghyanggo 2" has just been released, anticipation for his performance during the remainder of the trip is growing. Lee Sung-min's rise as the biggest beneficiary of "Punghyanggo 2" adds to expectations from the start of the year.
[Photo] Source: YouTube.
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