"Park Myung-soo is a fan of Go Yoon-jung. We didn't know, but he once sent her a DM. He mentioned feeling a bit disappointed for not receiving a reply," shared PD Kim Tae-ho during a round interview for MBC's new variety show 'Manito Club.'

The interview with Kim Tae-ho, who directed 'Manito Club,' took place last month. The show is a unique undercover gift-giving variety program with the concept of 'a gathering of people who know how to share one for two.'

'Manito Club' started with a 2.1% viewership rating for its first episode, which dropped to 1.6% by the second episode, remaining in the 1% range until the sixth episode. However, it gained traction from the seventh episode, rising to the 2% range. Viewers have noted that the second season is more entertaining than the first. Kim PD shared an episode involving Go Yoon-jung and Park Myung-soo, stating, "Go Yoon-jung mentioned wanting to appear on as soon as Park Myung-soo appeared during the first shoot. She was a fan who had followed all of Park Myung-soo's content. This naturally showed during filming, making their relationship more entertaining."

'Manito Club' operates in seasons, with different cast members for each. The first season featured Choo Sung-hoon, Noh Hong-chul, Lee Soo-ji, Dex, and Jennie, creating a buzz. The second season confirmed Park Myung-soo, Hong Jin-kyung, Jung Hae-in, Go Yoon-jung, and Kim Do-hoon. The third season will feature Cha Tae-hyun, Hwang Kwang-hee, Park Bo-young, Lee Sun-bin, and Kang Hoon.

PD Kim Tae-ho commented on the second season's cast, "It was like a well-prepared feast, harmoniously concluded. It remains a memorable experience." He added, "For the third season, we had to consider chemistry and relationships as we planned to shoot in the provinces. This maintained the show's energy and contributed significantly to completing the final secret Manito gift."

Kim PD reflected on the casting process, "Yesterday, I revisited our initial focus on the secret Manito. The casting was centered around finding suitable members for this role, which led to the current lineup."

He continued, "When setting up a reality variety show emphasizing membership, it's challenging to compose entirely of new faces. Despite research, there's always a gap due to lack of experience. We often mix familiar faces with new ones."

"The inclusion of Park Myung-soo and Noh Hong-chul was part of this strategy. However, this time, we started with the secret Manito concept and then considered various potential cast members," he explained. "In the second season, Park Myung-soo and Hong Jin-kyung played pivotal roles as entertainers, for which I'm grateful."

Lee So-jung, TenAsia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr
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