Popular South Korean entertainer Yoo Jae-suk is humorously staking a claim to the success of comedian Heo Kyung-hwan's catchphrase.
MBC's variety show 'Hangout with Yoo' (directed by Kim Jin-yong, Lee Joo-won, Ahn Ji-sun, Bang Sung-soo, Park Eun-jin/writer No Min-sun) is receiving rave reviews for the delightful chemistry between Yoo Jae-suk, Haha, Joo Woo-jae, and Heo Kyung-hwan, who is vying for a permanent spot on the show. The program has maintained its position as the top Saturday variety show among the 2054 target demographic and ranked first in the non-drama category in the TV popularity survey for the fourth week of January, as reported by Good Data Corporation's FUNdex.
In the upcoming episode airing on the 31st, the four members will bring more laughter as they visit wintery Hongcheon. The group finds themselves collectively adopting Heo Kyung-hwan's catchphrase, with Yoo Jae-suk leading the charge. Yoo humorously claims, "I made Kyung-hwan's catchphrase popular," dubbing himself the distributor.
Heo Kyung-hwan acknowledges this playful takeover, saying, "The tables have turned. My catchphrase is becoming 'Yoo Jae-suk-ified.'" Yoo further asserts his expertise in popularizing catchphrases, citing his history with Park Myung-soo's phrases.
Even while traveling, Yoo continues to spread Heo's catchphrase, drawing laughs from the group. Yoo boasts, "I've been doing this for over 10 years, even when texting or calling Kyung-hwan," highlighting his long-standing experience. Meanwhile, Heo humorously attempts to protect the originality of his catchphrase, stating, "This is not my catchphrase anymore."
In other news, amidst the ongoing tax evasion controversy surrounding Cha Eun-woo, Yoo Jae-suk's tax practices are being revisited. Yoo is known for opting for a standard expense rate (estimated tax return) over detailed bookkeeping, resulting in approximately 41 billion won in taxes on a 10 billion won annual income, effectively minimizing audit risks.
Catch the full episode of MBC's 'Hangout with Yoo' on January 31st at 6:30 PM.
Reporter: Kim Se-ah, Ten Asia haesmik@tenasia.co.kr