'Salimnam' delivered tears and laughter with Park Seojin family's heartwarming Lunar New Year scene and Takuya's candid family story.
On the 21st, the KBS 2TV program 'Salimnam' featured comedian Kim Ji-hye, the former MC of 'Salimnam,' as a special guest, presenting the Park Seojin family's warm holiday story and Takuya's "jeonnae" filled life in Korea. The broadcast recorded a nationwide Nielsen Korea rating of 5.1%, and a scene in which Park Seojin reminisced about his late maternal grandmother—saying that seeing persimmons reminded him of her and that even after she developed dementia she still recognized only him—recorded the highest rating of 6.6%.
At the opening, Kim Ji-hye revealed her acquaintance with Ji Sang-ryeol's girlfriend Shin Bo-ram, who is 16 years younger. Kim Ji-hye said, "Imagining Ji Sang-ryeol and Shin Bo-ram kissing," and could not continue, and Ji Sang-ryeol was greatly embarrassed, asking, "When did I ever say I kissed Bo-ram?" In the heated atmosphere, a surprise birthday party for Ji Sang-ryeol continued. Ji Sang-ryeol made people laugh by shouting without context as a birthday wish, "Shin Bo-ram boyfriend!" and Kim Ji-hye predicted, "Shouldn't we also hold a 60th birthday party on 'Salimnam'? I think we'll have other celebrations before the 60th birthday. I have a feeling," pleasing Ji Sang-ryeol.
In the first VCR, the Park Seojin family's Lunar New Year scene continued from last week. After a chilly night following a fight between the parents, the Park Seojin family gathered together wearing hanbok. When Park Seojin's mother appeared in a beautiful hanbok, the studio reacted with, "It suits you. You're so pretty," and especially Ji Sang-ryeol joked, "You'll be the star of the 50,000-won bill someday," drawing laughter.
Having worn hanbok for the first time since her wedding about 30 years ago, Park Seojin's mother gradually cheered up thanks to her family's efforts. To celebrate the Lunar New Year, Park Seojin's siblings performed a deep bow to their parents, and Hyunjung unexpectedly performed a physical gag by falling backward while bowing. After failing and trying again, Seojin repeatedly demonstrated the bow, asking why Hyunjung couldn't do it. Their parents watching protested, saying, "How many times are you bowing? Is this a funeral parlor?" Hyunjung, who was desperately trying to succeed at the bow, ultimately lost control of her sphincter and caused chaos at the scene.
After twists and turns, the family's traditionally arranged Park household ancestral table was revealed, eliciting admiration in the studio. Seeing it, Ji Sang-ryeol said, "My family also has many home events like ancestral rites and memorial services," and Park Seojin teasingly asked, "When we get married, won't Shin Bo-ram have to do everything?" Ji Sang-ryeol dodged the question by answering, "I'll do it. Shin Bo-ram should stay still."
The Park Seojin family made wishes while performing the ancestral rite. While everyone wished for health and happiness, Hyunjung admirably wished on behalf of her brother, saying, "Grandmother, grandfather, please let my brother win the grand prize this year." Park Seojin said his personal New Year's goal was to go abroad and live for a month. The studio pressed, "Will you go with a beautiful woman?" and Park Seojin immediately drew a line, emphasizing the trip was for studying English. MC Lee Yo-won egged him on, saying, "If you date a woman who's good at foreign languages, your foreign language skills will improve quickly," and Ji Sang-ryeol added, "Meeting Shin Bo-ram, who speaks well, improved my Korean." Kim Ji-hye made people laugh by pressing Ji Sang-ryeol, who mentioned his girlfriend Shin Bo-ram at every opportunity, asking, "Is Bo-ram not answering your calls?"
After the boisterous New Year's morning, Park Seojin took his whole family somewhere. He visited his maternal grandmother's grave for his mother, who misses family warmth even more at holidays. Moved by her son's thoughtful gesture, Park Seojin's mother revealed, "Since mom died three years ago, holidays and Parents' Day are the times I miss her most," and opened up about her feelings.
In the studio, people also expressed aching feelings for their late parents. Kim Ji-hye said, "I suddenly think of my father who passed away last year. It feels like he might be at home when I go back," revealing vivid longing. Eun Ji-won said, "There's a voice message left by my late father that I can't listen to. If I listen, I think I'll cry for a month," tearing up, and Ji Sang-ryeol empathized, saying, "I also have a video of my late mother, but I can't bring myself to play it."
Later, the Park Seojin family shared various memories of their late maternal grandmother. Park Seojin's mother said, "Your maternal grandmother was skilled not only in Japanese but also in singing and janggu," and affectionate attention turned to grandchild Park Seojin, who fully inherited that talent. Park Seojin recalled, "There was a persimmon tree at my grandmother's house, and the red ones were always mine," and, "My grandmother had dementia, but she recognized only me," remembering a grandmother who especially cherished him. The family then expressed regret at not being able to be with their grandmother at the time of her death. Park Seojin's mother tearfully said, "The thing I regret most is that we couldn't bring grandmother to her new home in Samcheonpo," and added, "Don't worry because Seojin has done well; live comfortably, too," as a farewell.
Another 'Salimnam' cast member, Takuya, drew attention by appearing in a messy home wearing his winter coat. Takuya confessed, "I spent a lot of money while visiting Japan last month," revealing he had entered a period of tightening living expenses. To save heating costs, Takuya exercised in a home kept at 19 degrees Celsius to preserve his body heat. Seeing that, Park Seojin said jealously, "With that visual doing that, he doesn't even seem 'jeonnae'," and Ji Sang-ryeol cried out, "Why are you doing this on 'Salimnam,' not because of turf wars? There are many programs in Japan too. Brother, do this one!" making everyone burst into laughter.
Takuya then filled empty plastic bottles with warm water and held them to his body while monitoring reactions to his appearance on 'Salimnam'. Desperate for attention to the point of saying earlier, "I even want to get malicious comments," Takuya drew strength from the warm comments, and Ji Sang-ryeol added positive comments, saying, "Now that Takuya has appeared on 'Salimnam,' the boiler temperature will go up to 26 degrees." MC Lee Yo-won asked, "If Takuya appears regularly, won't Ji Sang-ryeol's screen time decrease? Is that OK?" and Ji Sang-ryeol abruptly replied, "You should rest more. Don't you have many days to live?" causing laughter.
Afterwards, scenes of Takuya using a cramped bathroom, a window-operated ventilation system vulnerable to cold, and washing his hair with cold water were repeatedly revealed, shocking everyone. Takuya said, "I endured Korean winters like this for 15 years," and finally showed the harsh reality of "jeonnae" by putting water in an almost empty shampoo bottle and using it.
Meanwhile, Takuya's mother made a surprise visit to her son's Seoul home, drawing attention. Having learned of Takuya's past hardships and the harsh reality of life in Korea from a previous broadcast, the mother said, "I watched my son on 'Salimnam' and got a little worried, so I came. I didn't tell him because I thought he would tell me not to come," and Takuya froze at his mother's unexpected arrival.
Entering the dark, cold house, Takuya's mother greeted him with nags such as, "Open the curtains. Live with a bit more brightness," and, "Do you clean? It's a pile of garbage." Especially faced with the pitiful state of the refrigerator, Takuya's mother said, "Now I understand why I wasn't invited before," and felt upset.
Startled, Takuya complained, "If you were coming, you should have told me," and Takuya's mother worried, "Is there some problem with the work you do?" In fact, Takuya had only two schedule items for the month, and unable to hide his embarrassment, he stormed out, leaving his mother who had come from Japan alone at home. After her son left, Takuya's mother took out the food she had packed in a suitcase from Japan and carefully prepared home-cooked meals with foods Takuya liked, such as hayashi rice and braised pollock roe. Eating his mother's home cooking in Korea for the first time in his life, Takuya said, "I felt good, but on the other hand I was a bit conflicted because I showed a side of myself I didn't want to show."
Takuya sat across from his mother at the table and began a conversation. Having confessed his longing for his biological father on a previous broadcast, Takuya cautiously opened up to his mother, saying, "I realized I don't know much about my biological father."
At his son's sudden question, his mother could not answer for a while, and after a long silence she painfully said, "When you were young, I lied and told you that your father died." Takuya, who already knew that fact, said sadly, "I think I liked my father when I was little. When he left, I wanted to go with him, so I hid in the trunk."
Summoning his courage, Takuya asked, "What would you think if I wanted to look for my biological father?" and his mother answered cautiously, "He's from Hokkaido, and I have no ties there. He is 71 this year and may really have passed away; it would be difficult to find him." Still, his mother asked back, "Even so, do you want to meet him?" and Takuya calmly replied, "Because it's the same blood," moving viewers. He added candidly, "There isn't anything particular I want to say to him. I don't remember him and have nothing to say, but I just want to show that I grew up like this."
This episode of 'Salimnam' delivered deep resonance to viewers through the Park Seojin family's episode of revisiting memories of their late maternal grandmother for the Lunar New Year and Takuya's story of honestly confessing his longing for the father he was separated from as a child in front of his mother.
Meanwhile, 'Salimnam' will air every Saturday at 9:20 p.m. starting the 28th.
[Photo] SNS, 'Salimnam' broadcast capture
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