Tag Archives: 2 Days 1 Night

The Brand New 1 Night 2 Days Season 4 And Why I Will Keep Watching Them

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Image taken from 1 Night 2 Days official Instagram account @kbs_unicorn

A lot has happened since the start of 1 Night 2 Days’ Season 4 in December of 2019. Again, just like every other seasons, controversy and drama followed this season’s cast of members. The wrongful ending of Kim Son Ho is something that many will always regret, as it turns out that he wasn’t the villain in his real-life drama; The criminal case of Ravi, a former beloved member, that adds another blurred face and erased episodes to the show’s archive; And the departure of the amazing Bang Geul Yi that a lot of us was, and some still, very sad about. There was a dread, a fear, that Season 4 is coming to an end. I know we all felt that way at one point. However, as Arsenal fanbase said, I trust the process and keep watching. Now, I can confidently say that I have found my weekly dose of happiness back. Gone are the ghost and fears of the past. This Season 4 is staying in my watch list.

When they announced that Na In Woo is joining the team, I was excited. One particular video about how he wanted Kim Jong Min to invite him to the show that was spreading like wildfire had fueled my excitement. You can see that he’s a real fan and genuinely wanted to be a part of the show. And, honestly, he’s not disappointing at all. He was a little awkward at first, but I can see a lot of variety show potential in him. Then Lee Jeong Gyu came along. As he is someone who’s not new to 1 Night 2 Days, I put my trust in him to keep the show running and he, too, is a great addition. However, when I heard about Yoo Seon Ho, I was puzzled. First of all, he’s way younger than the members. I was doubtful of how he could match the older members. I was also not familiar with him as I didn’t watch his popular drama. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised when he was funny from the get go. Maybe having Na In Woo as a senior in the same company made him a little more comfortable filling the maknae role. But, I think, it was his personality that blend in seamlessly with the older members. He’s not afraid to challenge them, not shy to went up against everyone, and very competitive. One thing I do enjoy from these cast members is that Kim Jong Min often really took the role as the experienced senior of the show. His know-hows, as silly as they may seem, put him in the spotlight and earn him respect from the other members. I like this Kim Jong Min better.

I know a lot of fans still yearning for former members, previous seasons dynamic, but I personally think that it’s unfair to the show if we keep on comparing this seasons with its predecessors. This brand new Season 4 has its own unique OB v. YB dynamic, Married Men v. Bachelor competition, Dindin versus everyone, even Yeon Jung Hoon and Kim Jong Min war. It may not be the same with Jong Min – Jun Ho silliness or Adequate v. Less Adequate team competition, but it definitely has its own charm. For me, I love how the younger members are more comfortable in engaging with the older ones, but not to the point of disrespect. Team YB has evoke the competitiveness of team OB and made games a lot more challenging and fun. I admit, sometimes Dindin went a little overboard in his little boy tantrum, but it’s just a character that he’s portraying in the show and not his real self. Their brotherhood isn’t always rainbows and butterflies. At the end of the day, they managed to patch things up and it even strengthen their bonds. Oh, how dramatic I am. But it’s true, and you know it. My point is, this brand new Season 4 is still 1 Night 2 Days. There are still beautiful places, fun games, funny twists, heart-warming brotherhood, and nerve-racking bokbulbok. Kim Jong Min is still the main babo of the show. Watch it, laugh and enjoy it, but don’t take it seriously. It is a variety show after all.

Image taken from 1 Night 2 Days official Instagram account @kbs_unicorn

Feel the Rhythm of KOREA: INCHEON Appreciation Post

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The long-awaited 1 Night 2 Days Season 4 first anniversary special project is finally completed! 1 Night 2 Days fans have been waiting patiently since the very first time we learn about this project. We knew how they kick-started it with that competition between Incheon and Gyeongju. We witnessed how the two teams work hard in presenting their respective cities to be the last city of the series. We were given a sneak peek of how the member practiced hard to learn the dance coreography. And then… nothing.

How we waited to see the entire episode of them practicing. And last weekend, at long last, they revealed all the process to us. How much fun did we have watching it? Tons of fun, no doubt. Here’s what I love about the members, staff & crew, plus the Ambiguous Dance Company trainers hard work I saw on the episode

Hilarious First Training Session ~ Be honest, we all expected this, right? Between the six members, only two dance professionally. We can give Moon Se Yoon more credit because he’s a natural in dancing. (Btw, have you seen his dancing videos on YouTube? The one where he learned BTS’s coreography? If you haven’t, then you should.) The others were… just very bad at dancing. Seon Ho even had Paper Doll as a nickname due to how bad he dance. Yeon Jung Hoon, Kim Seon Ho, and DinDin’s group session had me rolling on the flour laughing. That robotic body edit made me watch that particular part with creaking noises in my head. And the trainers were really patient with them. Encouraging them to just pour their energy into the dance. On the other group, Kim Jong Min didn’t disappoint either. He’s an amazing dancer, only a little bit rusty.

Practice Makes Perfect ~ We’ve seen snippets of how hard they practiced to perfected their dance moves. And then audition day arrived. Their costumes were amazing. They put a lot of thought in it. Though DinDin’s was just a football uniform sans jacket, but he’s DinDin so he looked super cute in it. We all know all along that Ravi would kill it. We all know that Kim Jong Min would nail it too. But we were surprised by how far Yeon Jung Hoon and Kim Seon Ho have come since that first training session. Gone was the paper doll that we all laughed at. Gone was that stiff-dancing Appa. They both showed a huge improvement and impressed everyone. Oh, and that comment about Kim Jong Min is blessed by the god of variety show? Nothing proved it better than when he ripped his pants while passionately dancing on stage.

Disco Pang Pang Scene ~ Of all the scenes in the video, this must be the highlight. Moon Se Yoon, DinDin, International Referee, and a few other staff and crew got on the disco pang pang and ride it a handful of times. It was really, really funny. The International Referee played his part really well, holding on to Se Yoon’s leg. And Dindin screaming “Abeoji! Abeoji!” made me laugh hard. They suffer a lot during the shoot because the dancer (read: the Pandemonic Dance Company members) kept making mistakes, but the scene came out beautifully. Job well done!

Guys, if you are a fan of 1 Night 2 Days I’m sure that right know you are feeling super proud of our members. As I’ve said in my previous post, this project goes to show how far this season have come, how their popularity has risen rapidly, how they are loved by viewers globally. Witnessing their journey and enjoying the completed project gave me a certain feeling of pride and satisfaction. I stand this show, I stand these members, I stand the staff and crew.

If you haven’t watch the completed video yet, where have you been? What have you been doing? You need to watch it, like, RIGHT NOW!

This video is courtesy of Imagine Your Korea YouTube channel

P.S. Don’t forget to watch a short video of Moon Se Yoon dancing to the choreography as well. He might not be chosen to be the dancer, but he’s always fun to watch.

This video is courtesy of @kbs_unicorn on Instagram

1 Night 2 Days Season 4: One Year Later…

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Has a whole year really gone by since my first post about 1 Night 2 Days Season 4? Since the day I expressed my first impression and my hopes for the show? Time flies when you’re having fun, they said. And I have been thoroughly enjoying my weekly dose of happiness since then that I was really surprised to realize that it’s time for the first anniversary already.

In this post I’m going to write down my latest opinion of 1 Night 2 Days Season 4. One year later, what has changed? Have I been enjoying it? Has there anything I’ve been disappointed with? Let’s get started.

Image copied and edited from 1 Night 2 Days official Instagram account @kbs_unicorn

Goodbye Slapstick Comedy. I’m not a huge fan of slapstick comedy. It may be funny most of the times, but there’s just something about it that bothers me a little. In season 3 we saw slapstick comedy between Kim Jong Min and Kim Jun Ho a lot. Those were funny, but didn’t really sit right for me. This season 4 that type of comedy were cut down to very minimum. Sure, there were times the member get a little “violent.” At the back to school episode for example. Se Yoon acted as a vocal coach and made members who failed the high-pitch game to pulled other members hair so that they can reach the pitch required. But that’s just as violent as it gets. This season they’re relying the comedy more to honest reactions. And, uhm, in-adequateness? I laughed so hard at the episodes when they were put into team adequate and in-adequate, and team traitor. Before there’s team Han Ji Pyeong, there were these teams. There’s also Moon Se Yoon who became the unofficial captain comedy of the show. He’s able to produce hilarious comedy skits and comical reactions on the spot but also lead and steer the other members to do just the same.

Brotherhood At Its Best. I don’t know if it’s just me or are the relationship between the members in this season are closer than their predecessors (A lot say that season 1 members were the best, but I only watch a few of that season so I couldn’t say the same). I feel that their bond is really strong. Their friendship is really strong. Their brotherhood is stronger than ever. There is no one or more dominant figure in this membership. They are all one of the same. There were times, in the previous seasons, when I feel some uncomfortable moments, whether because of their fierce competitions or slapstick comedies gone too far. They undermine weaker members and often tangled in fierce physical battle against each other. In season 4, there is this vibe that the members always truly enjoy their time together on the set. They’re fascinated about the town they’re visiting, the new games they’re playing, and still fascinated about each other. Yeon Jung Hoon, Kim Seon Ho, and Ravi’s honest reactions about everything are the best. There’s still competition, of course, but in a fun way. There were a lot of times they really got together and support each other. Remember that athletic championship episode? When Kim Seon Ho couldn’t get to the finish line at the swimming competition? They didn’t trampled on him for being a loser, but they support him and help him finish the race. Granted, it was just a comedy skit but it’s heartwarming as well as hilarious.

Image copied from 1 Night 2 Days official Instagram account @kbs_unicorn

You Bring Out The Best in Me. Season 4 members are unique in their own way. Each week we discover their unique characteristics that brings a new color to the show. Yeon Jung Hoon with his explosive spirit that died down as quickly as it came. DinDin with his naughty little kid character when teasing other members or being teased by them. Ravi with his exceptional quality but tragically lacking executions. Moon Se Yoon with his confident that often betrayed him in games. Kim Seon Ho with honest reaction towards everything. And, last but not least, Kim Jong Min with his surprising genius side popping up every now and then. He’s doing pretty good, if not better, this season. Though, with Kim Jong Min being Kim Jong Min, no one but himself seems more surprised when he’s doing well. If I can say so myself, they complement each other. Even when they’re being lacking they could be very funny.

Creative Themes and Games. Hats off to this season’s crew. Smiley PD has took the helm of the sinking ship and made it sailing proudly again. The concept and themes they came up with are refreshing. The one that really hit the spot is that BangTopia episode. They managed to pull off a minimal contact filming, cooked up the concept really well, and nailed it. Yes, the members, mainly DinDin, gave them quite a shock with their resilience in trying to open that locked room, but the little surprise just made the show more real and less scripted. There are plenty of new games in that is really fun to watch and it looks like the members are enjoying it. In “Travel Around Korea” episode I love all the games. Indeed, it was a 13 hours exhausting game marathon, but everything were fun.

I sincerely hope this season will outlast all the previous seasons. Everything is too good and I would be really sad if this ended or one of the members left and is replaced with another. This setting is great. These members are amazing. And you don’t fix what’s not broken, especially when it’s working this well. And I hope they will win big at the end of year awards. I can’t wait for the anniversary project, Feel the Rhythm of Korea, with the Korean Tourism Board. It’s 1 Night 2 Days Season 4’s first huge project that marked the recognition their journey has received so far. There’s plenty more to come from Bang PD’s crew and the members. And I’d gladly wait for it every week. To 1 Night 2 Days Season 4, my weekly dose of happiness, HAPPY 1ST ANNIVERSARY! Here’s to more laughter and love to come. CHEERS!

Best Things About 1 Night 2 Days

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My beloved show is recently caught in a turmoil. A member fired and in jail, two got caught in a controversy and resigned, and now the show is threatened to be cancelled. This is a sad moment for 1 Night 2 Days fans, me included. However, I’m not here to talk about controversies or uncertainties. I’m just going to remember what the show is to me.

1 Night 2 Days Season 3 Members

I first get a glimpse of 1 Night 2 Days in 2012, the episode where Cha Tae Hyun and Sung Si Kyung went to a cheese factory of some sort. Me, as someone who never interested in Korean variety show, let alone like it, were skeptical at first. I said “I don’t understand many Korean words, listening to them talking so fast always makes me dizzy.” BUT, I fell in love at first sight. There something about this show that just picked my interest, left me wanting more. And, on top of that, I got to know an entertainer called Kim Jong Min and became a fan of him ever since. So today, I have a sudden urge to list what are the best things I think this show has that made me an avid fan I am today.

Travelling Around Korea

I haven’t been to Korea, and maybe will not be able to go there in the near future, but I really love the fact that I could travel around Korea through this show. In a way, this show is promoting Korean tourism to international audience. I love the fact that they actually promoting the tourist sites and not just come to visit, play games, eat, and go home. They showed me where to go, what to look for, what to expect from visiting places in Korea. They even managed to go overseas at some point, tracking Korean legacy and descendants, and became the first variety show to ever get a glimpse of life at the South-North Korean border, a nerve-wrecking and intense episode I will always remember.

The Famous Bokbulbok Games

I love 1 Night 2 Days’ bokbulbok games. Bokbulbok means luck or lucky game… This may not be a hundred percent accurate, but bokbulbok definitely relates to luck. This means nobody is superior, everyone has the same chance of winning. Yes, there might be some episodes where one member gets all the luck. For example: Defconn, when they played back-to-back strength game. But this is not always the case. Sometimes even the strong slipped. During the latter part of season 3, I especially love the bokbulbok games, because no one had the same luck each and every week, making the competition fierce and unsuspected members could win everything. Not only that, they sometimes incorporate traditional games, such as yut, wrestling, jegichagi, and more. They also made the members compose a song in Korean traditional style and music. Every week, there are something new to offer, and I am thankful for the staff for working hard to always make bokbulbok interesting.

The Chemistry of the Members

Forget about the recent scandal, focus on how there were before all came tumbling down. I love how they really are like brothers. They bickered, they teased each other, they competed fiercely against each other, but at the end of the day they showed love towards each other. The family bond got even stronger with the Cha Cha Cha siblings involved, three adorable children of Cha Tae Hyun. I love how the members once visited Tae Hyun’s house, ask for food shamelessly, and interact with the kids. I love how they actually met outside of the show, even worked together in other projects. And I love how this season 3 members always treated the former member, our beloved Gutaeng Hyung or Kim Joo Hyuk, as one of their own even before his tragic passing (may his soul rest in peace), that cemented his position as forever 1 Night 2 Days member.

Best Episodes

To me, one of the best episodes is when they went to Harbin, tracing the footsteps of An Jung Geun, one of Korean heroes that was arrested, jailed, executed, and buried there, on his last few days as a free man. The episode gave me goosebumps. The scene where they visited the jail and read the last letter An Jung Geun’s mother sent for him, and the scene where Tae Hyun cried when he found out that An Jung Geun’s supposed burial place were then no more than an empty field with unattended grass, rubble or garbage scattered everywhere. I actually got choked up watching it. And another one was the episode on the anniversary of Gutaeng Hyung’s death. Watching them, even Ryu PD, in tears and listening to Gutaeng Hyung’s last message to them, recorded prior to his death was too much.

1 Night 2 Days is more than just these points to me. The show has always been something to ease my mind after a days work every week, the means to see Korea before I get the chance to actually go there myself, and a way to forget about whatever was bothering my mind before watching it. I know it may be wishful thinking, but I really do hope the show survived. It has survived for 12 solid years. It has survived three different seasons and plenty of change in members. It has survived criticism and doubt. It got an award for the best variety show in KBS three times, earning high ratings every single week. But if this is the end of the road, then I can only thank the members, former members and staff for every laughter and happiness they gave me all these years. And for Kim Jong Min, Cha Tae Hyun, Defconn, Kim Joon Ho, Yoon Dong Gu, I wish you all success in everything that you do in the future. I will always root for you. And, as Kim Joon Ho proudly said everytime, 이멤버 리멤버 forever – REMEMBER EACH MEMBER FOREVER.

1 Night 2 Days Now and Then Part 1: Reminiscing the Old Days

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*This post is just my personal opinion of the show 😉

It was early 2012 when one of my best friends introduced me to this show. Back then I wasn’t really a fan of Korean Variety. I’ve watched a few episodes of Running Man and couldn’t really enjoy it. But it was different when I laid my eyes on 1 Night 2 Days. Was it the Joo Won factor? (I was really fond of him back then. Now… still fond of him, but not overly fond). Was it the Korean tourist sites factor? Or was it the Korean food factor? Until today I’m not sure what. What I’m sure of is that from the first episode that I watched, I’ve falling in love with it, grow fonder everyday and now I’ve become one huge fan.

Now, two years later, I’ve witnessed the show go into transformation more than once and in more than one way. But first. let’s talk about Season 2.

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Image from 1n2d Tumblr

I’ve read a couple of blog posts and too many comments that said they are disappointed in season 2. They said season 2 was lacking the friendship bond that season 1 has. To me, who only watched several episodes of season 1 but never missed one single episodes of season 2, I couldn’t relate to the comments at all. Season 2 looks fine to me. The members were funny, getting along just fine and looks pretty solid despite little bumps every now and then. Individually they are funny in their own way.

The three seniors, Kim Jong Min, Lee Su Geun and Uhm Tae Wung were undoubtedly funny with their own distinctive character. As a senior comedian, I think Su Geun managed to lead the whole show without being too overwhelming. His game and gag ideas were fresh and fun to watch.

Uhm Tae Wung may look a little awkward and didn’t talk much, but in his own way he managed to still the show sometimes. Towards the end of the season he’s even funnier. I remember his answer to the question ‘the sound of laugh’. He laughed “kyo…kyo…kyo…” and said that his grandmother laughed that way so that her dentures wouldn’t fall out. It echoed in my head for days! My best friend and I ended up calling the show kyokyo.

Last but not least, the variety genius, Kim Jong Min (my absolute favorite, love him so very much), with his silly and goofy manner is so lovable. Although my heart often ached watching him lost in games and suffered the punishments, but 1n2d wouldn’t be the same without him.

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Image copied from http://www.dramabeans.com

Meanwhile, the four new guys, Kim Seung Woo, Sung Si Kyung, Joo Won and Cha Tae Hyun added some color into the show. Yes, I agreed to the comments that Sung Si Kyung and Joo Won were sometimes too eager to maintain their Ballad Prince and Cool Actor image, but there were times where the contrast of their personality with other members were pretty enjoyable to watch. The serious Sung lawyer who battled with Bird PD were often annoying, but the PD reaction were too funny. Joo Won relied too much on his aegyo maknae side, but sometimes I think it works too. Kim Seung Woo was the oldest, and he’s funny just because of that. I found his body gags hilarious! And all of it wouldn’t be complete without the misfortune streak that Cha Tae Hyun suffered. Bottom line, I think these seven guys worth my time every single week.

Image copied from joowonenglish.wordpress.com

Image copied from joowonenglish.wordpress.com

The departure of Kim Seung Woo broke my heart. My best friend and I cried watching his last episodes. Something was totally missing when he’s gone. I’m sure quite a few people agreed with this.

However, the arrival of Yoo Hae Jin added a kick to 1N2D. He couldn’t replace Seung Woo in my heart, but he was a valuable new member, no doubt about it. He clicked with Lee Su Geun right away, producing funny gag scenes throughout the show. They both were really natural at it and it successfully got me laughing my tummy off.

Image copied from 1n2d Tumblr

Image copied from 1n2d Tumblr

When they announced that Joo Won were quitting the show, I felt so disappointed. Sadly, not because I thought I was gonna lose him when he’s gone, but because after Kim Seung Woo gone why would there be another departure? “This isn’t right,” I thought. Then several weeks later, all hell broke lose. It is said that another member were going to quit the show. I got frustrated and scared. I was scared that the show might be endangered of being cancelled. All the speculations of who’s quitting and who’s not got all the fans crazy. There were even rumors of Kim Jong Min fed up with the show and refused to continue being the member. Argh! Anyone but him, please.

Then, during the last few episodes of the show, the major last blow came from Lee Su Geun. Him being investigated by the police and found guilty really put season 2 to its end. I was sad, really really sad. One wrong choice and he faced legal prosecution and up to now is banned from tv stations.

Watching the very last episode of season 2 was like a roller coaster ride of emotion for me. Tears ran down my cheeks, reminiscing all the previous episodes got my heart ached, losing a Sunday night entertainment made me really sad. I never thought I can get so attached to a variety show that I even cried because of it. Although it was a relief to know Kim Jong Min is staying for another season, but still, it created a big empty hole in my heart when season 2 ended.

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Image copied from 1 Night 2 Days Season 2 Facebook Page

With pain in my heart after saying goodbye to season 2, I braced myself to face season 3 with hopes that it would at least be as entertaining as season 2.

Phew, this post turned out longer than I planned for. Let’s just stop here for now and continue with season 3 on the next post, shall we?