MBC 'Manitto Club' season 2 members opened a special late-night restaurant for firefighters amid unprecedented chemistry, delivering warm laughter. It also teased the first full meeting of season 3 members Cha Taehyun, Park Boyoung, Lee Sun-bin, Hwang Kwanghee and Kang Hoon, raising viewers' expectations.
On the 15th, the aired MBC variety show 'Manitto Club' episode 7 depicted Jung Haein, Go Youn-jung, Park Myung Soo, Hong Jin Kyung, Kim Do-hoon and chef Yoon Namno embarking on a "secret Manitto" operation. They began preparing a special late-night meal for Bucheon fire station personnel who devote themselves day and night to the safety of citizens.
That day's metropolitan household rating recorded 2.3%, marking the show's highest rating. The 20-54 audience rating, a core indicator of channel competitiveness reflecting changes in media consumption, also rose to 1.1%. The show's top minute was a scene in which Jung Haein, Go Youn-jung, Park Myung Soo, Hong Jin Kyung, Kim Do-hoon and chef Yoon Namno urgently ran a simulation ahead of opening the late-night restaurant for firefighters, soaring to as high as 3.4%. (Nielsen Korea metropolitan standard)
Before the main operation, members first surveyed the inside of the fire station. Because it was a secret mission that required hiding their identities, an undercover operation disguised as "documentary filming" unfolded. Chef Yoon Namno and Kim Do-hoon transformed into documentary hosts and naturally conducted internal coverage and interviews, while Jung Haein, Go Youn-jung, Park Myung Soo and Hong Jin Kyung monitored the situation from another space and continued a tense infiltration operation. In this process, Park Myung Soo's sudden "avatar order" produced unexpected laughs.
Chef Yoon Namno prepared the heartfelt late-night meal while recounting an episode in which he had received help from firefighters in the past. The goal was a whopping 60 servings. They decided to prepare double portions so that the crew members who were dispatched during the meal could also have a warm meal again. The menu was a nourishing spread for firefighters, including haesin kalguksu, turmeric rice, abalone tteokgalbi with added truffle, and the "Manitto-style dujjonsyu," a "Dubaijjondeuk cookie" that uses tteok instead of marshmallows. Under chef Yoon Namno's command, Jung Haein, Go Youn-jung and Kim Do-hoon each took on roles and tackled large-quantity cooking.
The difficult preparation continued, from handling live abalone to endless "slicing" hell. It was a time-attack situation where everything had to be finished within a five-hour limit. Jung Haein and Kim Do-hoon took charge of the truffle abalone tteokgalbi and activated a "meat factory" using their forearm muscles, while Go Youn-jung was responsible for the "dujjonsyu" and began producing 60 servings of dessert. Park Myung Soo, who joined later, focused on abalone preparation, kalguksu dough and making noodles by hand, and Hong Jin Kyung took charge of the haesin kalguksu and turmeric rice.
Throughout the cooking process, the members' chemistry also shone. The members bickered while cooking but united tightly with the goal of opening the late-night restaurant, showing teamwork. The heartwarming senior-junior chemistry between meat-obsessed "meat master" Jung Haein and Go Youn-jung, who said, "He seems like a professional," revealing complete trust, and the cheerful back-and-forth between Kim Do-hoon and chef Yoon Namno over kitchen hierarchy provided laughs. Park Myung Soo paired with Hong Jin Kyung in a flirting skit that made it hard to proceed because it was so hilarious, and after physical exhaustion he exclaimed, "This is harder than 'MuDo'" and eventually dropped the concept, adding another burst of laughter.
With preparations complete, the members finally opened the late-night restaurant. The fire station cafeteria was transformed into a warm late-night restaurant where the kitchen interior could not be seen. The members ran a simulation in hyper-alert mode before going into action, but frequent mistakes from nervousness heightened the tension. At 9 p.m. the firefighters began entering, and contrary to expectations many people visited at once, causing the feared order surge. From the first order, an order for as many as eight servings arrived at once, raising curiosity about whether the members could properly prepare the first late-night meal.
Meanwhile, at the end of the broadcast, the first appearance of the season 3 members featured the full meeting of Cha Taehyun, Park Boyoung, Lee Sun-bin, Hwang Kwanghee and Kang Hoon, raising expectations. Unlike seasons 1 and 2, the identity-open setup from the start added interest, and the reunion of Cha Taehyun and Park Boyoung—who played father and daughter in the 8 million ticket blockbuster 'Speed Scandal'—was teased, capturing viewers' attention. MBC 'Manitto Club' airs every Sunday at 6:05 p.m.
[Photo] broadcast capture
[OSEN]