Will "Yu Jae-seok Camp," led by Yu Jae-seok, wash away misconceptions of a nepotism variety show and become a Netflix hit?
# Netflix's successful expansion of the "Minbak universe"! This time it's a group camp for "escaping everyday life"
A cheerful challenge with "rookie camp leader" Yu Jae-seok
The 'Yu Jae-seok Camp,' which will be released on Tuesday, May 26, is a group camp variety show in which rookie camp leader Yu Jae-seok and unpredictable staff Lee Kwangsoo, Byeon Woo-seok, and Ji Ye-eun chatter with guests, play with them, fool around with them, and complete an escape from everyday life. Expectations are high because Netflix is newly presenting this as a "minbak variety" following the wildly popular and eccentric minbak variety Kian's Bizarre B&B.
Above all, the irreplaceable Yu Jae-seok temporarily sets aside his smooth hosting and becomes a somewhat clumsy rookie camp leader, and the large-scale communal camp he runs is expected to offer special enjoyment amid cheerful laughter. Directors Jeong Hyo-min, Lee So-min and Hwang Yoon-seo, who directed the show, emphasized that "Yu Jae-seok Camp" is "a structure in which a large number of people live together for two nights and three days and experience a tightly scheduled 24-hour program." The production team, who said they wanted to create a "fantastical space" unlikely to exist in reality, said, "We based the structure on a real retreat timetable but placed content that only Yu Jae-seok can do, such as cushion quizzes and iron lunchbox games, to add fantasy to memories."
Explaining the reason for choosing "Yu Jae-seok" as the camp host, they said, "We judged that his ability to make people comfortable, draw out stories and lead many people fits well with the structure called 'camp,'" and added, "You will be able to see not the perfect MC but the human side of Yu Jae-seok becoming sloppy and worn out under an intense schedule," sparking curiosity about the rookie camp leader's performance.
# 35 years on air, zero years of camp experience! Rookie camp leader "Captain Yu" Yu Jae-seok's camp operations
Unpredictable staff Lee Kwangsoo X Byeon Woo-seok X Ji Ye-eun → reliable allies Lee Hyori X Lee Sang Soon
Along with "rookie camp leader" Yu Jae-seok, the eager but somewhat clumsy staff Lee Kwangsoo, Byeon Woo-seok and Ji Ye-eun provide delightful chemistry that is also a major viewing point. Although guests come thinking about "healing," the intense, "killing"-style schedule transforms bittersweet moments into laughter, and the perfect back-and-forth is expected to amplify the fun. Broadcasting veteran but first-time camp operator "Captain Yu" Yu Jae-seok, the "discipline leader" Lee Kwangsoo who is responsible for the laughter and order of both the boss and guests, Byeon Woo-seok, a sweet man with clumsy charm who is in charge of guests' "healing," and Ji Ye-eun, the "close-friend maker" who builds deep bonds with guests, will hustle here and there to give guests a special time, and their hard work will be vividly shown.
Expectations are also high for the special part-timers who support Yu Jae-seok and the staff. The production team said they pushed the surprise visit by the couple Lee Hyori and Lee Sang Soon like a surprise event and "prepared it without informing the cast, so natural fun was created on site," adding, "Their visit brought stability to camp operations for the first time, and they showed definite professionalism in guest care and cooking, helping to organize the atmosphere."
# an extraordinary scale! Yu Jae-seok camp covering a total area of 30,000 pyeong
A full-course of guest-tailored fun filled over two nights and three days with a large number of people
The camp's varied programs for large numbers of guests and the unusually large scale of the camp cannot be overlooked. The enticing "full-course" of fun, composed as a two-night, three-day, 24-hours-per-day packed camp schedule, arouses curiosity. There are wake-up missions that start as soon as you open your eyes, morning yoga, cushion quizzes and iron lunchbox games at lunch, outdoor experiences, and in the evening a campfire and talent show. In addition, three meals a day are guaranteed, and facilities such as a gymnasium, outdoor stage and fitness center are prepared to provide comfortable sleeping arrangements and a variety of experiences, offering guests who briefly "escape real life" a healing they have never experienced before.
The production team, who said they focused on creating spaces within the total 30,000 pyeong area where various activities are possible, said, "Guests can have diverse experiences within one space, but at the same time the staff's workload of managing many places at once doubled, and that part also became another fun element," raising expectations.
"Yu Jae-seok Camp" will be available on Netflix starting with episodes 1-5 on Tuesday, May 26, and episodes 6-10 on Tuesday, June 2, over two weeks.
At a recent press conference, Yu Jae-seok responded to criticism that the show is a nepotism variety. Critics pointed out that Jeong Hyo-min PD and Yu Jae-seok have worked together for a long time, starting with "Two Yoo Project - Sugarman," where Jeong was an assistant director, and that they are doing four projects together — "Met on the job," "Korea number one," and "Yu Jae-seok Camp" — which prompted the allegation of a nepotism variety.
Yu Jae-seok described Jeong Hyo-min PD as "we've known each other for about 15 years, and aside from our relationship, a PD who has succeeded on numerous programs with me," and said, "Casting is not done because of my connections but rather by casting the people required for the program," adding, "When offered to appear on a program, I carefully consider 'Can I really do this well?' before deciding to appear. From some people's perspective this might seem like assembling people through connections, but we have our own deliberations and choices. Both the production staff and cast always think, 'Is there something new?' 'Is there something fresh?' I believe our job is to keep producing that freshness and combination of entertainment."
Director Jeong Hyo-min also responded to criticism of a "nepotism variety," saying, "If you repeat the same thing, viewers will not accept it. When Yu Jae-seok did a minbak variety, I had confidence and conviction that we could create a different flavor from other existing shows. We worked hard for the past year to realize that as much as possible, so please watch and judge."
[Photo] Netflix
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