MBC 'Omniscient Interfering View' released footage of Hwang Jae-gyun and You Yong-wook, who are fully enjoying their second acts in life. After drawing the curtain on a 30-year baseball career, Hwang Jae-gyun is enjoying a sensible unemployed life, and You Yong-wook left a large company to live a barbecue-obsessed daily life. Their lives, enjoying the present in their own ways, offered a delightful vicarious empathy. That day's broadcast recorded a 2054 rating of 2.0%, a core channel competitiveness indicator reflecting changes in media consumption environments, ranking first among all programs in the same time slot. (Nielsen Korea provided). In particular, the scene revealing You Yong-wook's obsessive smoking routine and philosophy, known as the colleagues-recognized "훈연핑," rose to a peak minute rating of 4.8% and captured Saturday night.
On the 31st (Sat) episode of MBC variety show 'Omniscient Interfering View' (planned by Kang Young-seon, directed by Kim Yoon-jip·Jeon Jae-wook·Kim Hae-ni·Jung Dong-sik·Lee Da-woon, writer Yeo Hyun-jeon), episode 383, Hwang Jae-gyun first frankly confessed feelings about retirement that surprised both the baseball world and fans. He said that if he had played just one more year he might have set a "first" record. But Hwang Jae-gyun said that as he aged it became harder to achieve the desired performance, and he wanted to finish in the first team. Wanting to leave while receiving applause, his choice revealed the human Hwang Jae-gyun's concerns behind the flashy "record machine."
That day's broadcast first revealed the daily life of Hwang Jae-gyun, the "unemployed machine," on his 15th day of retirement. Hwang Jae-gyun left his former home in Signiel Jamsil, known as a newlywed home worth 6.7 billion won, after divorcing his ex-wife Ji-yeon. He fed his dogs, fell into a second sleep on the sofa, and stared blankly out the window overlooking Jamsil Baseball Stadium, which he used to visit as often as going to the Han River.
He filled his stomach with delivery food he wouldn't touch as a player and flopped onto the sofa. He then donated baseball equipment he used as a player to amateur baseball players he met through a secondhand trading app. Known as a "nephew fool" who really loves children, Hwang Jae-gyun had a healing time at the house of his close friend and manager Park Shin-woong, who has been with him for 22 years since high school, playing at the kids' eye level and showing an uncle's smile. A life once tightly scheduled with workouts and diet management is now filled with time to enjoy leisure.
Especially, Hwang Jae-gyun went to visit his manager's children and spent time with them, and when someone said, 'He seems to really like children,' he said, "I really like kids a lot." The manager agreed, saying, "If Hwang Jae-gyun junior is born, it will really be a big deal."
Hwang Jae-gyun, who divorced T-ara's Ji-yeon two years ago, drew attention by confessing, "I want to have a son and try raising him in baseball." When the manager asked, "Wouldn't a daughter be good too?" he nodded and said, "That is also true."
Hwang Jae-gyun said his nephew's presence greatly shook his heart. He said, "After my nephew was born, my thinking changed a lot," and added, "I often think, 'I also want to have my own child someday,'" mentioning plans for remarriage and having children in the future.
Then Hwang Jae-gyun's fellow 1987-born players gathered to celebrate his retirement. The names that led Korea's golden generation of baseball—Ryu Hyun-jin, the "Korean monster" who conquered Major League Baseball and the KBO; Yang Eui-ji, the national team's starting catcher and a KBO representative home-plate manager; and Kim Hyun-soo, symbolized by consistency and precision as a "hitting machine"—sitting at one table was symbolic. Those who tried to dissuade Hwang Jae-gyun from retiring alternated between sharp facts like, "Stop whining," and, "Being alone makes that decision easier," and heartfelt support such as, "It's cool that you made the decision when you could still have continued. As a retiree, I will pave the way ahead," cheering for him to become a "pioneering machine." The manager Park Shin-woong's final encouragement video, "Baseball player Hwang Jae-gyun has always been a source of pride for me. You worked hard, and I hope you live happily now," filled the new ground Hwang Jae-gyun will advance onto with emotion.
Then the mood flipped again when the daily life of You Yong-wook, ace of "Culinary Class Wars 2" and Barbecue Lab Director, was revealed. According to the head chef and director who work with him, "He's a man almost crazy about barbecue." True to that report, the day of the "barbecue-obsessed one" began with preparing Korean and Western barbecue breakfasts that precisely targeted the tastes of his wife and children. After arriving at the restaurant, he started large-scale smoking equipment he designed himself and a high-end air-conditioning system, beginning bacon that takes 130 hours of care and rib smoking that takes 24 hours. He calculated different temperatures and positions by cut to arrange the meat and watched the flow of fire and smoke to the end—a process that approached barbecue as a philosophy. It was the moment everyone understood why his staff also call him the "barbecue-obsessed one."
You Yong-wook was as sincere with his staff as with barbecue. At the new year's kick-off ceremony he flexed a gift worth 10 million won and personally made a staff meal lavishly topped with sea urchin roe and salted fish roe. During lunch, as they shared behind-the-scenes stories of "Culinary Class Wars 2," a horizontal relationship was evident. As staff offered their blunt evaluations, "We were surprised it rose so much," You Yong-wook revealed his worry at the time that "if we were eliminated in round one, we might have to close the shop." But when he confessed that seeing the bloody meat in the ace match made him regret being eliminated in round one, staff added honest complaints like, "If it had risen more, that salad would have to be made 200 times a day," and they all laughed together to end their break.
That day the restaurant was visited by Gary, who goes camping with him, and hip-hop artists Gray, Woo Won-jae, and Coogie. After Korean pork bacon and smoked salad, the signature beef rib that appeared under pin lighting completed an overwhelming visual with billowing smoke, and rib ramen made by simmering the rib bones whole crowned the barbecue show. You Yong-wook introduced an anecdote that still moves him: five years ago singer Lee Young-ja visited his restaurant and praised it, saying, "I thought it was an essay, but it felt like reading a classic book." He expressed gratitude to all the panelists. Saying, "Cooking and meeting customers are the most fun," You Yong-wook left a deep impression with an attitude of fully enjoying his new life.
Meanwhile, next week's broadcast will bring panelists with different charms to viewers. Baek Jin-kyung, called an "honorary Brit" for being more British than the British, will appear with her husband Rohan, captivating audiences with makeup that disciplines British sisters and announcer pronunciation coaching. It will also reveal a surprising side as a K-comedian talent. In addition, special guest Gabee completes a delightful chemistry enjoying a British-style(?) afternoon tea set. Then the smart house of national model son actor Lee Sang-yoon, winner of the "confident meeting bride pass" award, will be revealed for the first time. Contrary to a space full of traces befitting a "Seoul National University graduate," his inability to tolerate lying down creates real lazy moments that make viewers laugh. Putting aside a morning that starts with games, the true story of actor Lee Sang-yoon is expected as he meets unexpected connections.
'Omniscient Interfering View' airs every Saturday at 11:10 p.m. on MBC.
[Photo] MBC 'Omniscient Interfering View'
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