No carbs on Lee Jun-young's watch in Pump Up the Healthy Love

17 April 8, 2025April 8, 2025

No carbs on Lee Jun-young’s watch in Pump Up the Healthy Love

by tccolb

A new teaser has dropped for KBS’s sports rom-com Pump Up the Healthy Love, putting Jung Eun-ji (Miss Night and Day) on a new fitness journey. But I fear even cheat days will not be tolerated with ~~authoritarian~~ personal trainer Lee Jun-young (When Life Gives You Tangerines) guiding the exercise regime.

It is indeed an uphill challenge for our foodie heroine Lee Mi-ran (Jung Eun-ji) as the trailer opens. She was just about to take one more scrumptious bite when our hawk-eyed Do Hyun-joong (Lee Jun-young) appeared suddenly with a fist-block, informing Mi-ran that it’s time to make “delicious abs” instead.

Suffice to say, Hyun-joong is a little manic when it comes to health and wellness, vigorously encouraging his gym members – including Park Sung-yeon (Missing Crown Prince), Lee Ji-hye (Dreaming of a Freaking Fairy Tale), and Hong Yoon-hwa (Comedy Big League) – to give it their all. Meanwhile, staff members Lee Mi-do (Jeongnyeon – The Star is Born) and Lee Seung-woo (Face Me) stand by awkwardly.

Mincing no words, Hyun-joong warns Mi-ran that the workout will feel like hell from head-to-toe. Yet, he somehow convinces himself that every rep is “yummy,” and the character, in part, seems to be a fun spoof on the singer Kim Jong-kook – a famed gym nut in K-entertainment who is known to use similar phrasings.

Impressively, Mi-ran manages to keep soldiering on and this is when things start heating up between our pair, causing Mi-ran’s heart to race from something maybe more than fitness adrenaline. However, my her temper flares when Hyun-joong crosses a line and we end on Mi-ran’s threatening retort that, “You can curse me, but let’s not curse tteokbokki.”

Written by Kim Ji-soo (Birthcare Center) with co-directing by PD Park Joon-soo (Gaus Electronics) and PD Choi Yeon-soo, KBS’s upcoming Pump Up the Healthy Love will be premiering this month on April 30, following Villains Everywhere in the Wednesday-Thursday slot.

Via Osen

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Tags: Jung Eun-ji, Lee Jun-young

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1 Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️

April 8, 2025 at 5:16 PM

Not long now. This looks like it will be fun as we can all relate to that love of certain food that calls your name when you know you shouldn’t be eating it.

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2 hacja

April 8, 2025 at 9:23 PM

Thanks, @tccolb for that tidbit on Kim Jong-kook. I just came back from the gym so I certainly do my daily slog, but in addition to the light and fluffy rom-com I hope this to be, I would love this show to be a spoof on fitness culture and its celebrities--both take themselves way too seriously!

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DancingEmma

April 8, 2025 at 11:54 PM

@hacja: you, virtuous you. The only exercise I get these days is being run off my feet at work.
Btw, do you know if this is going to be streamed as I have not found any info about that.

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bong-soo

April 9, 2025 at 6:31 AM

Even though episode one is almost 3 weeks away (as a US viewer) availability angst is creeping in.
All things being equal and PUMP UP being a KBS production it should first go to Kocowa and then on to Viki but…….

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Diana Hansen

April 9, 2025 at 10:28 AM

Keep the hope up with me!

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hacja

April 9, 2025 at 7:58 AM

@dncingemma: Believe me, there's no virtue involved as the only reason I exercise every day is so that I can have my evening beer. I suppose I should pair watching this show with the teetotaler tale A Second Shot of Love, and then I will be a better man. Plenty of exercise AND no drinking!

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hacja

April 9, 2025 at 8:00 AM

That would be a blow, since I am looking forward to this one even if its not any good!

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tccolb

April 9, 2025 at 2:29 PM

In Korea, it seems to be streaming on Disney. But that doesn't always mean it will be the same internationally so hopefully Viki gets it as @marcusnyc20 mentioned!

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bong-soo

April 9, 2025 at 8:19 PM

Comment was deleted

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bong-soo

April 9, 2025 at 8:26 PM

Does this mean @tccolb that in SK, PUMP UP will air W/T on KBS (terrestrial) and stream on Disney+ simultaneously?
Isn’t Wavve (OTT service in SK) partially owned by KBS? I am confused why KBS would license PUMP UP to Disney+.

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tccolb

April 9, 2025 at 9:18 PM

Hmmm so I did some more digging and it looks like Pump Up will be streaming on both Wavve and Disney + in South Korea (simultaneously to KBS's TV broadcast on W/T).

Wavve is partially owned by KBS, MBC, and SBS (as well as SK Telecom), but their contract for sole licensing ended officially in Sep 2024. It's apparently been rocky since 2023 as a merger between Wavve and TVING was in the works, that didn't pan out in the end. MBC and SBS have since started partnerships with Netflix.

tccolb

April 9, 2025 at 2:25 PM

He has a popular Youtube channel called Gym Jong Kook as well (though you may already know lol), which is mostly him working out with other athletes and celebs to learn/give out tips. I'm not a big gym person, but it's fun to watch when he has interesting guests.

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3 redfox

April 8, 2025 at 11:55 PM

This needs a cameo by Choi Minho and maybe JungGook as a pair of gym buffs

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4 Peoplez

April 9, 2025 at 7:49 AM

I love Birthcare Center AND Gaus Electronics. Hopefully this will have similar humour and heart<3

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5 Diana Hansen

April 9, 2025 at 10:27 AM

Oh I can so watch this one! As a foodie myself currently struggling with my mouth and appetite its gonna be fun (and maybe encouraging?). And, the leads are too cute to pass up!

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6 beffels

April 9, 2025 at 2:27 PM

Kim Jung kook also has a YouTube channel - Gym Jung Kook, for anyone who wants to familiarize themselves with the reference. I only really watch the ones where various other celebrities I know (mostly Super Junior’s Donghae for me 😄) show up to to work out with him, but it’s pretty entertaining.

Apparently he also has content that is actually useful for body builders etc that is not why I am there 😅