1 Night 2 Days: Episode 376 (Season 2 Premiere)

by javabeans

Aaaand we’re back! At least temporarily. We were both keen to check out the new season of 1 Night 2 Days, and are happy to report that the show is still entertaining, and the new cast members seem to be developing great rapport. On the other hand, we’re wary to jump into a commitment with a show that has no end date, and only one episode to go on. So just a friendly caveat to state that we’re taking this one a week at a time, for as long as we decide we wanna cover it. And hey, if it turns out to be awesome, maybe it’ll give us another five years. (Gulp. That’s longer than most of my commitments in life, period.)

Ratings-wise, the Season 2 opener was a hit at 27.3%, jumping up about 3% from the previous episode. No doubt a lot of that was due to curiosity, but I’ve seen a number of positive responses to the new cast, so it bodes well for the show.

EPISODE 376. Broadcast on March 4, 2012.

javabeans: So this is a bit of an experiment, both for the show and for us, since we don’t know if a Season 2 of this show will be a fitting follow-up to the first, or whether it’ll morph into a lackluster shadow of it. I’m not sure a second season of any variety show to date has pulled it off successfully. What 1N2D does have in its favor is an exciting cast, some of whom we already know are great in variety and some of whom are big ol’ question marks.

girlfriday: I’m crazy excited to see Cha Tae-hyun as a regular on a variety show. I love him and his manchild ways. But I am nervous about the whole Season 2 idea as a whole.

javabeans: It’s a little weird to think of Tae-woong suddenly being a veteran of the show. Come to think of it, it’s strange to think of Jong-min being a vet, even though he’s been a fixture for so long. He seems really excited to meet the new cast — or maybe it’s to meet “our hoobaes” now that he’s one of the more experienced members. He jokes, “Kim Seung-woo hoobae!” Ha. Yeah, I dare you to say that to his face.

girlfriday: I do like seeing Jong-min step up with some newfound confidence. I’m sure Su-geun will be anchoring the show for the foreseable future, till the new members get their variety footing.

javabeans: Yeah, for the show’s sake I’m really glad Su-geun’s here. You do need someone who’s comfortable acting as the narrator/host when it doesn’t occur to the others to fill in awkward silences. Apparently Sung Shi-kyung texted a PD at 2am the night before, unable to sleep. I love that Tae-woong’s already calling him “Shi-kyungie,” all familiar-like, since the viewers’ tour. Su-geun wisely points out that they’d better try to not show worry amongst the three veterans, because the newbies are bound to be way more nervous than they are, and if they meet nerves with more nerves, it’ll just devolve into a nerve-fest, and then that’ll stress them out, and then they’ll quit…

girlfriday: Ha, he ends it with: “…and that leads to cancer.”

javabeans: Yes, Su-geun, be calming with your snowball of worst-case scenarios.

girlfriday: They wonder why it’s just the three of them at Incheon Harbor, but soon we flashback to an hour earlier…

javabeans: I love when we backtrack to beauty salon encounters. Why are the stars always in beauty salons? Have you not seen the show? All that work, poof, turned pointless in three seconds.

girlfriday: Maybe they didn’t have any friends to warn them that it’s useless.

javabeans: Wanna take bets on who it is? I’m thinking Joo-won for sure, and maybe Kim Seung-woo.

girlfriday: I think Kim Seung-woo, just ‘cause he’s eldest.

javabeans: Also I totally have the made-up scenario in my head of wifey Kim Nam-joo ushering him to the salon at the butt-crack of dawn.

girlfriday: With like an organic juice smoothie in hand.

javabeans: Well, how else is she going to win housewife of the year? She’ll be all gorgeous and made up and wearing an apron and pearls. And then go to work on her new weekend drama and bring home the bacon.

girlfriday: And then come home and bake pies and raise their perfect children.

javabeans: Who wear ascots and knee socks and pluck flowers for her.

girlfriday: Yeah. Sounds about right.

javabeans: Okay, now it’s weird that I have to start leaving off the last names and that just sounds so funny.

girlfriday: Oh right. Weird. At least we’re familiar with Shi-kyung, and Joo-won IS a first name.

javabeans: HAHA, Beauty Salon Man is Cha Tae-hyun!

girlfriday: What? He gets up at the butt-crack of dawn to get prettified like a real celebrity? Who knew?

javabeans: He’s half-amused, half-put-out that the cameras are following him around here, way before the official opening, and points out that the opening is supposed to happen at the station. It’s like they’ve crossed some boundary. We call it the fourth wall.

girlfriday: Say goodbye to it now.

javabeans: Yup. Welcome to the life of three walls, one floor, no ceiling. It’s like a sitcom but with way harsher working conditions. And no craft services.

girlfriday: He gets ushered into a car right away, and gets told to bring his bags. At least he’s quick on the uptake — he figures they’re not going to KBS after all. He starts screaming in panic: “It’s not Yeoido! It’s not Yeoido!” Like he’s being kidnapped.

javabeans: Next up, we arrive at an apartment building. MUAHAHA. I love surprises like this. It’s Shi-kyung who opens the door, looking groggy and hair sticking out in all directions.

girlfriday: HA. He really just woke up. I love it.

javabeans: I’ve always liked him as a singer (great voice, okay songs), but in a casual sort of way, and then he showed up on the viewers tour and was awesome and now I love him.

girlfriday: He was great. It cracks me up that he gets ready in ten minutes, and tells the PD that that’s a long time for him. I love that at least one of the new guys is regular dude.

javabeans: Ha, (Kim) Seung-woo IS at a salon! He looks totally flustered at the cameras’ arrival. They’re like, we gotta go shoot! He’s like, “I know, but… I didn’t think you’d come HERE.” He gets slightly paranoid and asks, “Are you really from 1N2D?”

girlfriday: Okay, his reel is the funniest, ‘cause it cuts from him going HUH to badass IRIS agent, to him going HUH on Win Win, back to badass agent. ‘s funny.

javabeans: The caption tell us he’s suspicious because 1N2D wouldn’t treat him with such a lack of manners, surely! He’s totally confused, which cracks me up. The show has thrown him off his game by catching him before he’s ready.

girlfriday: Seung-woo: “What’s it called… mental preparation… yeah mental preparation to shoot… I don’t have that yet…” Too late for that now.

javabeans: Joo-won’s next, and a PD knocks on his door. He opens it and blurts, “Umma-ya!” (like, “Mommy”?) at the camera.

girlfriday: Aw, it’s cutie pie! Is he fully dressed with his backpack on, like he’s ready for the first day of school and sitting by his door waiting for Mom?

javabeans: I think they’re actually disappointed that he’s somewhat prepared. We’re shown a map of today’s itinerary, which takes them from Incheon Harbor to a set of islands in the west. Aw, they’re gonna split them up? The newbies will land on separate islands, then the vets will pick ‘em up and end up at the westernmost island, Baekado.

girlfriday: Tae-hyun does his own little intro in the car, saying that he’s not dressed for travel (apparently his stylist dressed him like her kid for the opening, with shorts over leggings, ha).

javabeans: Is his stylist his wife? That’s cute, dressing them in theoretically matching fashions. Especially since he’s like a big kid.

girlfriday: I dunno, but he talks about her like she might be. He says he’ll try his best for 1N2D, and adds that he really does do his best on other shows, but they don’t show those parts. HA. Why don’t I believe you?

javabeans: Either he was unjustly painted by the production, or he’s a smart spinmeister. I’m going with the devious lazy dude.

girlfriday: He’d better be, otherwise I’ll be sorely disappointed. Shi-kyung says that his guest stint on 1N2D is what made him decide to do the show. He says that he was surprised to know that there could be a tv program as warm as radio (because he’s a DJ), that touches people’s hearts. Aw, he’s so earnest.

javabeans: Tae-hyun explains the process of deciding to do 1N2D, and it’s hilarious because his conclusion is: “Nothing about me suits 1N2D.” He doesn’t like traveling, or finding his way in new places, is bad at games, and lacks common sense. The caption: “That’s why we recruited you.”

girlfriday: He cracks me up. He’s like, some actors go on trips after a role, to ease out of the character. “But I’m out like the next day.” Hee.

javabeans: We catch back up with the three returning members at the harbor, and everyone’s confused at why the whole cast isn’t together yet. The PD says it’ll happen soon, and lets them do the introduction, which they note is pretty weak with only three of them. Jong-min promises he’ll do his best, and make up for “what Seung-gi can’t do,” and Su-geun quips, “What can’t Seung-gi do?” So Jong-min revises, “What Seung-gi isn’t here to do.” Haha.

girlfriday: Aw man, you had to mention Seung-gi? Now I’m all sad again. I miss Puppy! Jong-min tries to challenge the new PD, all, We can’t let him win on the first day, like he’s training a dog. Methinks you’re not going to get very far with that, first day or not.

javabeans: In his van, Seung-woo checks and double-checks with the PD, saying, “But we were supposed to go to Yeouido. I heard you tell my manager we would meet at Yeouido. Why are we not going to Yeouido?” He says he’s always been pretty sensitive, so he always has trouble sleeping and adjusting when starting new projects. Cut to: Shot of him later, sleeping on the floor in a dogpile, out like a baby. Then we hop over to Joo-won’s car, where he’s figured that the production has purposely misled them: “I’m scared!” I do like that he’s fast on the uptake though, because he looks forward intently, then deduces that they’re going to the Incheon terminal. The PD asks in surprise how he knew, and Joo-won says it’s on the GPS monitor. Haha, the production had better be on their toes. Damn, Joo-won came super-prepared — deducing that Incheon means a boat ride, he takes out a motion-sickness patch from his backpack and sticks it on. Boy Scout all the way.

girlfriday: Tae-hyun’s route is taking him past Yeoido, so his mood lifts, thinking they’re going to do the opening together after all. Suddenly he whines, “But then I have to say all this all over again?” Hahaha. He’s already complaining and he’s been in the car for like 15 minutes.

javabeans: What kind of actor complains about having to repeat himself? Does he do all his scenes in one take? Haha, and he even LOOKS like a big (overgrown) baby

girlfriday: Oh totally. He’s got babyface, in the most literal sense. My goodness, the complaining is endless. I already luff him.

javabeans: The great thing about Tae-hyun is, he can complain without needing prompting. No awkward silences with him. He just talks into the air, complain complain complain.

girlfriday: Even as he’s complaining about how they’ll fill the airtime with him by himself, he’s totally filling the airtime by himself.

javabeans: I enjoy how the PD tries to get a reaction out of Shi-kyung, acting like she’s surprised at where the car is heading, wanting to see something. But he’s unflappable as ever and says he’s used to the feeling of being directed to do stuff, referring to recent army service. I love how he just rolls with the punches, figuring it’ll all work out. It makes me wonder if/when we’ll ever see him totally lose his cool, though.

girlfriday: Tae-hyun then shares a text exchange with Su-geun that morning, where he’d said maybe the new members all got kidnapped. Su-geun responded casually in banmal, “No I don’t think so.” And then a few minutes later, sent another long text apologizing for texting Tae-hyun in banmal as if they were old friends. Tae-hyun dies laughing as he reads it. Oh the strange etiquette of jondae and banmal.

javabeans: Right? It’s way better to be super-careful and make yourself the butt of the joke, rather than accidentally offend somebody assuming it’s okay.

girlfriday: And the strangeness of say, having to be very friendly onscreen, while maybe not being that close behind the scenes yet. As Tae-hyun chuckles, he muses that Su-geun must be Type A, ‘cause he’s so specific and sensitive.

javabeans: Tae-woong starts to lead them in the 1N2D chant, but totally overdoes it and sounds like Hulk. Su-geun tangents into this long-winded joke/explanation about how there’s a very specific way to say it, and how they oughtta audition based on proper cheering ability, you know, like with Korea’s Got Talent or whatever.

girlfriday: Oh man, when Su-geun goes through the history of the 1N2D chant and Ho-dong’s expressions, it’s perfect. I do miss Ho-dong’s weird-ass exclamations. They’re so strangely addictive.

javabeans: And then we cut to Seung-woo, who is prompted to demonstrate. He’s embarrassed and actually mimes it, not wanting to say the words out loud, making the excuse that he doesn’t want to bother the driver. Driver: “It’s not a bother!” Haha. From our very small sampling of participants, I feel like it’s especially hilarious when you get actors on this show (versus entertainers and variety regulars), because there’s such a huge difference in how actors regard the camera — it holds back, not lets in.

girlfriday: I do love the constant intercutting of Present Seung-woo being all timid, and Later Seung-woo, totally adapted to 1N2D.

javabeans: Tae-hyun finds the remnants of a motion-sickness patch in his little boat, and looks uneasy at the implication that this will be a trip eliciting motion sickness. Joo-won has the farthest to travel so chronologically he’s the first to get in his boat (though we’re watching the intercuts somewhat out of order). I love how he sticks close to the captain to see where they’re headed (like with the car GPS), but the captain says he doesn’t know the destination. The caption: “A bald-faced lie.”

girlfriday: So then Su-geun, Tae-woong, and Jong-min get into their big boat and set sail, which means the timeline’s gotta be juggled around, ‘cause otherwise they’re leaving before the other guys.

javabeans: Ooh, something shifty’s going on. We see that in the background, the PDs are moving around, and captions tell us something’s in the water (hur hur).

girlfriday: Are they going to get ditched on the first episode?

javabeans: But then we see one boat, still parked at the harbor… and the other boat parked right next to his. Huh? So the timeline ISN’T as out of order as it should be!

girlfriday: Oh noes. So Joo-won has left for his island, and the three boys left in the big boat… but Seung-woo, Tae-hyun, and Shi-kyung are still sitting in the harbor, waiting to set sail! Shi-kyung is still in his CAR, waiting for a boat.

javabeans: So basically, three of the four newbies have… wait for it… MISSED THE BOAT. The big ferry literally has to turn around to go pick them up, because otherwise they’re stuck without them. This also means that the island-hopping plan is ruined since we’ll have six guys together on the ferry… and poor Joo-won, out on a dinky island.

girlfriday: Choi PD tells the guys that they’re turning around because they made a mistake, and Su-geun doesn’t miss the opportunity to rub it in: “You know, Na PD was really very good at these things…” HA.

javabeans: I actually kinda feel sorry for him, but it IS funny. Jong-min adds, “You’re going to get lots of comparisons…”

girlfriday: I think it’s better to get that stuff out in the open, rather than have it happen and pretend he’s doing fine.

javabeans: It’s also probably the best way to pre-empt those kinds of complaints from the general watching public — if we make fun of you, it has less bite than if you get it from them.

girlfriday: Yes, exactly. Then it’s a running gag, and not mean-spirited. Choi PD adds that they can turn the boat around because they’ve rented it whole hog, and there aren’t any other passengers aboard. Well at least they had the foresight to do that.

javabeans: Tae-hyun is told of the plan swap and is made to run to catch the ferry. He runs and wonders, “But we got here first. It’s their mistake, THEY should come to US!” The left-behind members make their way to the ferry and join the main party, with Seung-woo just barely making it in time. He’s running, not quite clear on the reason for the change, and boards the ferry totally frazzled, like What the hell is going on?

girlfriday: Meanwhile Joo-won gets dropped off on his tiny island, according to the original plan, and then the boat just leaves. Aw, ditched on your first day. That’s how it goes.

javabeans: The six guys compare notes on how much they slept, with Seung-woo having not slept a wink, and Jong-min having slept for nine hours. Tae-hyun chimes in that he must already be a regular member, ‘cause he slept just fine.

girlfriday: He must really be a worry-free person. I can’t imagine NOT being up all night before a big day like that.

javabeans: They’re getting along great, which is a good sign. But aw, Su-geun jokes that the problem with this is that later on they’ll forget Joo-won, since he’s missing from the get-go.

girlfriday: On his little island, the PD tells Joo-won that he has to take care of his own lunch, with no money. They’re just really throwing the maknae off the deep end from the start.

javabeans: Dude, on that deserted island? Are they gonna make him go all Survivor? Then again, if it had to be anyone at least it’s the Boy Scout, who’s probably got a whole survival kit in his backpack.

girlfriday: That’d be awesome. It’s certainly what I would pack if I were going on this show. A collapse-able fishing pole.

javabeans: Tae-woong describes his first impression of the new Choi PD as a bird — not one in particular, just birdlike in general. So we get a montage of birds, landing on one in particular of a mother bird feeding the squalling young. Mom is labeled “Bird PD” and the young are labeled with the cast’s names, loudly demanding food.

girlfriday: Shi-kyung throws him a bone and says he looks like a smart bird, and then Tae-hyun quips, “A smart bird is still a bird!” Pfft. I’m not sure you should be teasing others about their birdbrains.

javabeans: The show starts captioning Tae-hyun as Tae-pyung, which means peaceful, because of his apparent ease with the show. It’s apt, too, because he actually naps on the boat while everyone’s talking, looking comfortable as can be. Joo-won, meanwhile, manages to find a small town on the island, but nobody’s answering their doors and he’s gotta figure out how to eat.

girlfriday: He finally runs into an ajusshi, and very awkwardly has to ask to be fed, in exchange for doing some work. He’s smart though, and leads with, “Do you watch 1N2D?” because the old man isn’t likely to recognize him. Thankfully, he does watch the show, and offers to feed him.

javabeans: He’s so cute and embarrassed about it. The ferry, meanwhile, docks and the boys transfer to another vessel. This time they take up a room, which is empty of furniture or seating, and to liven up the trip Su-geun proposes a game. He says it’s because they’ll all look arrogant if they all lie down (so they’ll be playing for lounging privileges), but it’s basically a way to fill some airtime.

girlfriday: Su-geun’s smart about what makes this show fun (and what Ho-dong was always so good at) — he ups the stakes and says that the two losers will stand the rest of the way, the two winners get to lie down, and the other two get to sit on the journey.

javabeans: Shi-kyung starts to protest that it’s too long a trip to stand the whole way, but before he and the others can derail this, Su-geun presses on and begins. They decide on the game where you have to count off as you stand, and if two people stand at the same time they’re out. Tae-woong is the first to get out (sigh, some things never change) and has to stand the whole way. Tae-hyun joins him as the second loser.

girlfriday: The remaining boys go another round, and this time as Seung-woo stands up, he jumps so high that he hits his head on the ceiling. HAHAHA. The low-angle shot of him headless cracks me up. I take it back about him not being funny, because he’s so serious that it makes the outcome funny when he messes up. He’s not funny like Tae-hyun, but he’s so eager that his effort turns the result into something funny, kind of like Seung-gi’s huh-dang-ness.

javabeans: They switch to rock-scissors-paper, and Jong-min tries to psych Seung-woo out with his usual pre-game convoluted logic, which totally backfires since Seung-woo easily beats him. Jong-min tells him he’s good at mind games, and I’m thinking no, he just ignored you. Haha. So Su-geun and Seung-woo get to lie down, and Jong-min and Shi-kyung win sitting rights. Tae-woong holds up the corner, looking all cool like he totally wants to be standing, it’s so much more interesting and exciting than lying down, don’tcha know?, and Tae-hyun leans on his shoulder. If he falls asleep standing up, I’m going to bust a gut. Seung-woo actually gets really into the spirit of things, despite his concerns earlier, and he cackles to see the two boys standing, saying that they should’ve stipulated early on that the losers couldn’t lean against the wall. So mean.

girlfriday: Haha, look who’s eager to adapt. Tae-hyun and Tae-woong look adorable leaning on each other, but Su-geun decides he can milk more out of this situation, and offers up another game, between the two of them: the winner gets to sit, and the loser has to stand the rest of the way, in the center of the room. No leaning.

javabeans: They do it in one go, and Tae-hyun loses. Tae-woong immediately sits down, and Tae-hyun immediately rallies for a do-over, talking into thin air ‘cause everybody’s ignoring him. At least the “game” only lasts so long, because before long everybody’s lying down anyway and napping.

girlfriday: Joo-won follows the grandpa to his house, where grandma makes a big pot of ramyun and adds oysters, and they sit around a small table like a little family. At least he gets delicious food while the hyungs starve.

javabeans: He does the dishes to “pay” for lunch, then hurries back to the pier, where the others await and welcome him to the group. They do a full group 1N2D cheer, and whoa is Joo-won actually taller than Shi-kyung? It looks it, although the internet tells me otherwise (Shi-kyung’s 1cm taller).

girlfriday: That’s craziness. I didn’t think anyone was as tall as Shi-kyung. Ever.

javabeans: They head back to the boat to work out the whole hierarchy, knocking out jondae for the younger guys and figuring what to call people.

girlfriday: I actually don’t know the middle hierarchy. Is it Tae-woong — Tae-hyun — Su-geun or Tae-woong — Su-geun — Tae-hyun?

javabeans: It’s Tae-woong, then Su-geun, then Tae-hyun, with a year between each.

girlfriday: And Shi-kyung and Jong-min are dong-gap, right?

javabeans: Right. And then Joo-won way off, eight years behind them.

girlfriday: They finally arrive on the island and do their opening, and right away Seung-woo asks the PD what his job is, “Since it doesn’t seem like you do much.” Hahaha.

javabeans: They introduce this island as their basecamp, and the PD explains that although 1N2D has seemingly traveled to a lot of places, there are over 3,000 islands in Korea, though only about 25 of them are inhabited. Tae-hyun proposes, “Let’s go to all the closest places first, then do the ones farther away.”

girlfriday: Choi PD tells them they’ll have kimbap for lunch, and that starts the real complaining. Seung-woo asks if there isn’t ramyun. Shi-kyung accuses him of withholding ramyun even though they have it. And then Tae-hyun lets loose: “LET’S JUST GOOOOOO~~!”

javabeans: They make the walk to the beach, where Lunchtime Bokbulbok will take place for the three good lunches. Round 1 is chicken-leg battle, and immediately everyone grabs a leg and starts hopping… except for Su-geun and Seung-woo, who just stand still, content to let the younguns take each other out first.

girlfriday: But then Su-geun notices Tae-woong’s back is turned to him, and knocks him out from behind. But then Seung-woo does the exact same thing to him, and then gets knocked down by Jong-min.

javabeans: Don’tcha love how it’s the attackers who get knocked out first?

girlfriday: But even funnier is Jong-min, who just falls all by himself with no help.

javabeans: So does Tae-hyun, though at least he was trying to attack. The last chicken standing is Joo-won, who wins one of the good lunches for himself. Probably a wise thing for him to not mention the fact that he already ate lunch.

girlfriday: I was wondering why he didn’t brag about his awesome lunch, but now I realize it’s good that he didn’t.

javabeans: Although I wonder if it’ll come back to bite him after this episode has aired, hehe. Round 2 gets going, and Seung-woo is pretty bloodthirsty, isn’t he? This time Tae-woong makes it to the final 2, but gets knocked out by Shi-kyung, who wins a lunch.

girlfriday: It’s interesting now that Tae-woong is no longer the strongest. When Ho-dong was around it was no contest, but for a while Tae-woong was both the eldest and the strongest, but now these younguns are totally wiping the floor with him.

javabeans: It’s a curious thing, how he’ll sort of have to reinvent his show persona. Jong-min (with his goofy speech and tries-too-hard earnestness) and Su-geun (comic host), not so much, but the influx of new personalities has changed the surroundings enough that I think Tae-woong will find himself in a different role. I do think he may enjoy not being the eldest, though, and will defer happily to Seung-woo.

girlfriday: And it turns out Seung-woo’s no weak old man either, as he wins the third round of Lunch Wars, pushing all the other guys out of the sand circle.

javabeans: How funny is it that Tae-woong shoves Su-geun out of the circle literally by the seat of his pants? It’s like a wedgie…

girlfriday: A wedgie gone horribly awry.

javabeans: Then again, what’s a GOOD wedgie look like?

girlfriday: Got me there. So the three winners get their lunchboxes with meat-filled kimbap and sausage side dishes, while the losers get… yellow-radish kimbap with a side of yellow radishes. Damn. I guess some things aren’t gonna change.

javabeans: Tae-woong complains that you can practically count the rice grains because they are so few (it really is mostly radish), while Tae-hyun concedes that he’s so hungry that even this tastes pretty good. Su-geun wonders who wrapped such weird-lookin’ kimbap, and Tae-hyun says that whoever made them probably giggled her whole way through the rolling process, thinking of them.

girlfriday: After lunch they arrive at their basecamp house, and find a water well just sitting in the middle of the patio. They decide suddenly that they have to draw water and drink from the same bucket to become brothers.

javabeans: It’s funny how this becomes a *thing* — that they all must drink from it. Seung-woo leads the charge, instructing everybody to drink like it’s a requirement.

girlfriday: As they rest inside, Shi-kyung says he asked Jong-min some questions as his 1N2D sunbae, but discovered that he doesn’t know anything. He apparently asked if they’d be required to sleep outside on their first trip, and Jong-min had replied off-handedly, “Half and half.” The PD points out that it’s the right answer though. Jong-min: “You think too much.” Wow, did Kim Jong-min just school somebody?

javabeans: That earns him the nickname Kim Sunbae, heh. They head off for a short hike to a boulder, and the guys rib Shi-kyung for bundling up like he’s going off to Antarctica, saying he’s shooting his own special episode on his own. The path gets more and more overgrown, and soon they’re panting as they push through the brush. Seung-woo starts complaining, which is pretty funny given how fixated he is on the 12-minute time frame cited to reach their destination. You see the line of boys climbing silently ahead, and then hear Seung-woo grumbling all the way from the back.

girlfriday: Apparently Shi-kyung still has that take-care-of-elders mentality from the Viewer’s Tour, ‘cause he takes up the rear to make sure that Seung-woo hyung is okay. He’s not ninety! But it’s sweet anyway. They get to the peak and play with the big movable rock and take their first group picture together.

javabeans: They make their way back down, and find another well, this time with an 1N2D flag stuck by it. Su-geun gets the idea to play another game, which Tae-hyun is NOT happy about, after all the work of hiking and whatnot. He complains that the show is already chock-full of games and stuff, like, do we really need to be making life harder for ourselves?

girlfriday: Which would make it awesome if he lost. The guys play rock-paper-scissors for one member to get his hair washed with the ice-cold well water, with Seung-woo agreeing to it wholeheartedly (“Because I’m very lucky.”) and Tae-hyun griping through it.

javabeans: It’s cute how much Tae-hyun perks up when he’s on the winning side, suddenly pleased with the game. Tae-hyun even works extra-hard to fill up the bucket extra-full. It comes down to a three-way-off between Joo-won, Shi-kyung, and Tae-woong. Seung-woo: “Hurry, before the water warms up!” The man’s got a sadistic streak.

girlfriday: I love how suddenly Tae-hyun’s so into this, all “This was a really good idea!” Seung-woo: “This is the hardest I’ve seen you work at something this whole time.” They play the final round, and the loser: Tae-woong. Aw, man, why does he lose at everything?

javabeans: I know. The guy can’t catch a break. I feel like 1N2D is this big exercise in character-building for him, because he’s gotten so used to punishments as the frequent loser. Tae-woong gets his ice-water head-bath, and calls for another round. Can’t be the only one goin’ down, can he?

girlfriday: Seung-woo: “I think you’re mad. Don’t react emotionally!”

javabeans: It comes down to Tae-hyun and Shi-kyung, who switch to mook-jji-ppa. HAHA. Suddenly Tae-hyun goes from ecstatic to misery. I hope he loses, so bad.

girlfriday: ME TOO.

javabeans: And THEN, to up the ante, the survivors toss around ideas to make it worse, like going topless. Shi-kyung: “I’m a ballad singer! How can I go topless?” Haha, since ballad singers don’t have the ab-dependent images of idol stars?

girlfriday: And suddenly, I want Shi-kyung to lose.

javabeans: And just like that, he does. At least that hand. Oh man. I think he’s hates the idea of losing his shirt even more than… almost anything. He really, really doesn’t want to lose this.

girlfriday: But Tae-hyun totally sneak-attacked him on purpose! This guy’s too wily to lose.

javabeans: They keep going, and it’s this really long chain of reversals, with one guy gaining the upper hand, then the other. This is the beauty of the game, which can go on forever if you can’t seal the deal. Like dancing forever around deuce.

girlfriday: This is a totally nail-biting round of mook-jji-ppa. Finally… TAE-HYUN LOSES! Awesome.

javabeans: He falls to his knees and everybody “helps” him remove his jacket and shirt. Shi-kyung looks SO HAPPY. Tae-woong totally enjoys dribbling water on his back slowly, as payback for Tae-hyun doing the same to him.

girlfriday: Joo-won takes the bucket and totally mimics Tae-hyun just minutes ago: “Do you want it in dribbles or all at once?” He makes it last as long as possible, getting screams from Tae-hyun, who cuts out before they’re done, and takes off running into the hills like a crazy person. He suddenly turns around and comes back… chased by a goat. What the hell? You can’t write this stuff.

javabeans: And after Tae-hyun comes back, he proposes, “Let’s go again!” Haha. It’s the loser’s reaction: Inflict back what was done to you.

girlfriday: They all ignore him and make their way down the hill, as Seung-woo chuckles, “We’re like a bunch of neighborhood kids with nothing better to do.” And here we were, thinking you’d just be a bunch of uptight ajusshis. My verdict: Tae-hyun and Shi-kyung pretty much met expectations, Seung-woo exceeded them, and Joo-won still hasn’t broken out of his shell. It’s a little crazy with seven members, but I get that it’s an insurance policy in case things get boring.

javabeans: I also wonder if they’re going to keep all seven in every episode even when somebody’s got a project to work on… I know that the old members all stuck with the show, but this round is pretty heavy on big actors, and I can’t imagine Seung-woo or Joo-won, for example, just signing off on an indefinite period of time if that limits their drama acting schedules.

girlfriday: But what they get in exchange if their popularity takes off on 1N2D is something that they can’t get elsewhere.

javabeans: But would you just NOT do dramas for the next five years? You can pull a Seung-gi, but frankly, you’re not going to get a lot of dramas that will allow that, plus it’s tiring as hell. Most dramas want your full attention, and to be honest there’s not a lot of leeway to be taking every other weekend off.

girlfriday: If they’re planning to actually earn the kind of national love that being a regular on this show gives them, they’ll have to figure a way to pull a Seung-gi.

javabeans: Tough crowd.

girlfriday: It’s the 1N2D way.

javabeans: It’s all fun and games until someone drops from exhaustion.

girlfriday: And that’s the Korean way.

javabeans: I don’t know that that’s enough of an explanation to appease my fears.

girlfriday: What, you didn’t have parents that told you it wasn’t “studying” if you didn’t bleed?

javabeans: Of course I did. I don’t think it was effective, or a good thing.

girlfriday: Oh no one said it was right.

javabeans: Which is why a little bit of leniency from the show wouldn’t ruin my appreciation of the members. ‘s all I’m sayin’. I suppose we’ll cross that bridge when we get there, but I think there’s plenty of love to go around, and still sleep!

girlfriday: Well who knew YOU’d be the softy ‘round here?

javabeans: Not I.

 
RELATED POSTS

• 1 Night 2 Days: Episode 375 (Season 1 Finale)
• 1 Night 2 Days: Episode 374
• 1 Night 2 Days: Episode 373
• Cha Tae-hyun joins 1N2D Season 2
• Lee Su-geun, Uhm Tae-woong, Kim Jong-min stick with 1N2D
• 1 Night 2 Days: Episode 372
• 1 Night 2 Days: Episode 371