Baek Jong-won, So Yoo-jin, and octopus feet ceremony to increase broadcasting

<<Yeji Ryu's yellow card>>
Reporter Ryu Ye-ji, TenAsia, digs into the most attention-grabbing entertainment incidents and accidents.

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Excessive feeding (過猶不及). If it is too much, it can only be lacking, and if it is too much, no matter what it is, there will be a problem anywhere.

Baek Jong-won, a culinary researcher who had been quiet for a while, came out to the world again. If you turn on the TV, Baek Jong-won appears on any broadcasting station. From the three terrestrial broadcasters to cable channels, they dominated the broadcasting industry.

Most of the broadcasts related to 'food' feature Baek Jong-won. It has been like that for 8 years since MBC's 'My Little Television' in 2015. Baek Jong-won, who was thought to be sincere only in cooking, was also passionate about appearing on TV.

Baek Jong-won's story was introduced in MBC's 'Oh Eun-young Report - Marriage Hell', which aired on the 29th. Baek Jong-won said, "As I raise three children, there are times when sparks fly due to children's problems. It has nothing to do with the age difference."

So Yoo-jin sent a suspicious look, saying, "Did my husband interview this story?" After a while, Baek Jong-won, So-Jin's husband, appeared in the video that was released. Baek Jong-won expressed his gratitude to Dr. Oh Eun-young, saying, "My wife appeared on 'Oh Eun-young Report' and her speaking style changed." He then added a congratulatory comment on the program's first anniversary, saying, "I hope it will be a program that brings happiness to many families."

The broadcaster pointed out, 'Is this also Baek Jong-won?' The purpose of the broadcast on this day is that 75 couples, including prospective couples, newlyweds, and couples with minors, participated and decided to consult with Dr. Oh. Couples who had appeared on the show in the past were also present to share their good news.

There is some truth in Baek Jong-won's statement that he appeared in 'Marriage Hell' because he needed him. However, 'Marriage Hell' is a program that provides solutions for couples, and 75 married couples appeared on the show that day. Just listening to the stories of 150 people would have run out of recording time. Baek Jong-won's career in broadcasting probably didn't know that there are times when it's better not to go out.

This is not the only broadcast expansion of Baek Jong-won. Recently, his wife So Yoo-jin, three siblings' children, and So Yoo-jin's own mother appeared on a travel variety show. Although Baek Jong-won did not travel directly, he showed off his presence through data screens and subtitles. So Yoo-jin visited a restaurant recommended by her husband Baek Jong-won, and the children also mentioned their father throughout the trip. Baek Jong-won is now evolving his image for broadcasting as 'So Yu-jin's husband' and 'father of three siblings' rather than a cooking researcher.

Most of the TV viewer ratings that Baek Jong-won has appeared in are on the decline. More precisely, it is jagged. In the early days when Baek Jong-won appeared in the entertainment world and was deified, he established himself as the 'king of viewership ratings'. Baek Jong-won's episode of 'Maritel', which raised awareness, recorded viewership ratings in the late 8% range. When Baek Jong-won temporarily got off, it fell to the early 6%. This shows the presence of Baek Jong-won. 'Homemade Meal, Mr. Baek' (2016), which was broadcast one after another, also recorded an average viewership rating of 6%.

However, starting with the average of the second half of 'Delicious Rendezvous' (2019), the viewership rating fluctuated greatly. 'Baek Jong-won Class' (2021) recorded an average of 4%. 'Baek Jong-won's National Food' (2021) fell to the 0% range and tasted humiliation.

Baek Jong-won, who once showed three programs only on terrestrial channels for a week and was nominated several times as a candidate for the 'Daesang' at the SBS 'Entertainment Awards'. He gradually disappeared from TV and quietly chose a break. In 'Backpacker' and 'Business Genius Sandy Beach', which appeared later, they recorded 3% and 4% respectively. From the point of view of broadcast producers, Baek Jong-won is a target that can secure some viewer ratings even if it is not a big success.

The taste of broadcasting is sweet. When you appear on any broadcast, the weight of wealth and honor in your hand changes. A career that is good to show others is also added. However, it is also necessary to consider the fatigue of viewers due to Baek Jong-won's broadcasting area being too wide. There is no way he doesn't know that excessive octopus feet in business and broadcasting are risks in the end.

Reporter Ryu Ye-ji and Ten Asia ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr