Heo Kyung-hwan Joins 'Hangout with Yoo' as Lee Yi-kyung's Replacement

Heo Kyung-hwan steps in to fill Lee Yi-kyung's spot on 'Hangout with Yoo'.

On the January 10th episode of MBC's 'Hangout with Yoo', Yoo Jae-suk, Haha, Joo Woo-jae, and Heo Kyung-hwan gathered for the first recording of 2026.

During the episode, Haha, Joo Woo-jae, and Heo Kyung-hwan congratulated Yoo Jae-suk on his 21st Entertainment Grand Prize win. Yoo Jae-suk humbly responded, "It's too much," but added, "I think of it as an award we all received together. The members and production team worked hard."

Joo Woo-jae shared a story about Yoo Jae-suk treating them to a delicious meal, to which Yoo Jae-suk replied, "Of course, I should pay," bringing laughter as he generously covered the production team's dinner expenses.

Yoo Jae-suk questioned Heo Kyung-hwan, who is not a regular member of 'Hangout with Yoo', about his absence from the awards ceremony and dinner. Heo explained, "I watched it live. It felt awkward to attend the dinner without going to the ceremony." Haha jokingly questioned, "Are you still undecided? It seems like you've moved to 'You Quiz'."

Heo Kyung-hwan expressed his concerns, saying, "The national interview video from 'You Quiz' is circulating, but the articles have decreased sharply after the broadcast." When asked directly, "Is it 'You Quiz' or 'Hangout with Yoo'?" Heo replied, "What should I do? I've held on until 2025. Let's play together. Please let me know before it ends," urging for his official membership.

As Heo Kyung-hwan bowed to the viewers with the members, Haha asked the production team, "Should we give him a spot or not?" Heo expressed, "Is it so hard to say I'm a member?" Yoo Jae-suk comforted him, saying, "Let's say Kyung-hwan is a member," bringing laughter.

During guest Kim Kwang-kyu's 60th birthday celebration, Yoo Jae-suk shared, "I met Lee Seo-jin at the awards ceremony, and he said, 'I think people find you more intimidating than me.'" Kim Kwang-kyu admitted he finds Yoo Jae-suk more intimidating, saying, "I feel like I need to hang up quickly when talking to you, and I can't even congratulate you properly."

In the car, Haha asked, "Do you know much about Yoo Jae-suk? What's the name of his high school?" Yoo Jae-suk responded, "Why are you asking that?" and jokingly said, "Let's say you're a member," when Kim Kwang-kyu asked if Heo was a member. Yoo Jae-suk praised Heo Kyung-hwan, saying, "Everyone in the entertainment industry likes him."

Meanwhile, Heo Kyung-hwan appeared in the preview for next week's episode, increasing the possibility of him joining as a regular member.

Reported by Kim Eun-jung, TenAsia