Choo Sung-hoon's 'Pay for Your Meal' Blends Labor and Travel in Chongqing Adventure

'Pay for Your Meal with Choo Sung-hoon' has made a mark by combining labor and travel in a unique 'earn and eat' journey.

On the episode aired on the 26th, ENA and EBS's variety show 'Pay for Your Meal with Choo Sung-hoon' featured Choo Sung-hoon, Kwak Jun-bin, and Lee Eun-ji as they arrived in Chongqing, China. Their first job to earn their meals was the daunting task of cleaning a sky bridge on a high-rise building.

A month before the trip, the 'Meal Payers' gathered to assign roles. Choo Sung-hoon took on the role of team leader, Kwak Jun-bin, being the youngest, became the treasurer, and Lee Eun-ji was the music and search fairy, raising the group's spirits with her songs.

Upon arriving in Chongqing, Lee Eun-ji struggled with the mission of finding their accommodation, adding to the excitement. Unable to show the taxi driver the address in Chinese, Kwak Jun-bin attempted to help, but communication was difficult even with a translator, and the internet was down. Choo Sung-hoon eventually stepped in, converting the address to Chinese characters, and they finally reached their accommodation, marking the challenging start of their journey.

On their first day without work, the production team paid them Chongqing's minimum hourly wage of 23 yuan each, totaling 69 yuan (approximately $14) for their first meal. The dynamic between Kwak Jun-bin, who wanted to search for a restaurant, Choo Sung-hoon, who preferred asking locals, and Lee Eun-ji, caught between their differing opinions, added humor to the show.

The 'Meal Payers' spent about 7,000 won on local Chongqing dishes like knife-cut noodles, dumpling soup, and Chongqing noodles, enjoying the city's culinary delights cost-effectively. A chance encounter at a shop led to free skewers for the group, showcasing Chongqing's warm hospitality. Treasurer Kwak Jun-bin expressed gratitude by offering 10 yuan to the shop owner, who suggested a handshake instead.

In their first extreme job of cleaning high-rise buildings, Choo Sung-hoon's strong leadership shone. Kwak Jun-bin, who had a fear of heights, was reassured and guided by Choo Sung-hoon's practical persuasion and comfort.

The next day, the 'Meal Payers' tackled the task of cleaning the sky bridge and transparent observation deck at a height of 250 meters. To accommodate Kwak Jun-bin's fear of heights, team leader Choo Sung-hoon took on the most challenging outer railing area, Lee Eun-ji handled the medium-difficulty handrails, and Kwak Jun-bin was assigned the least challenging passageway area. With the pressure of completing the task on time to avoid wage deductions, viewers are eager to see the 'Meal Payers' continue their adventure in the next episode.

Tae Yuna, TenAsia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr