SBS Introduces New Variety Show 'Aneun Jinjja' Amid Familiar Faces and Formats

In the era of content overload, TenAsia's Tae Yuna becomes your 'variety show guide,' unraveling the hottest issues, key points, main figures, and behind-the-scenes stories to enhance your viewing experience.

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SBS is set to launch a new variety show just two months after the cancellation of 'Shoes Off, Single for Men' (hereafter 'Single for Men'). Despite promises of a 'new genre' in terms of composition and planning, the show seems to blend elements from existing SBS variety shows, raising concerns about its ambiguous identity.

On the 26th, SBS announced the launch of 'Aneun Jinjja' (hereafter 'Aneun Jinjja'). The program is described as a 'character talk show' that breaks away from traditional talk show formats. The hosts include Tak Jae-hoon, Lee Sang-min, Lee Soo-ji, and EXO's Kai, with the first episode airing on February 2.

'Aneun Jinjja' is planned by Kwak Seung-young, who previously worked on 'My Little Old Boy' and 'My Turn,' and directed by Seo Ha-yeon, who recently directed 'Single for Men.'

At the center of 'Aneun Jinjja' is Tak Jae-hoon, who was a regular on 'Single for Men' alongside Lee Sang-min for four years and worked with Lee Soo-ji on 'My Turn.' Kai previously collaborated with Tak Jae-hoon five years ago on tvN's 'Udo Inn.'

The 'character talk show' genre seems to combine the character play of 'My Turn' with the talk show format of 'Single for Men.' 'My Turn' was a fake reality show aired on SBS last year, where Lee Soo-ji transformed into various characters, and Tak Jae-hoon made headlines with a storyline involving a romance with a woman 28 years his senior.

'Single for Men' was a long-running SBS talk show but faced criticism last year when Kim Jun-ho and Lee Sang-min remarried, losing the show's original premise. This led to calls for their departure, and the show was eventually canceled at the end of the year.

Despite the end of 'Single for Men,' Seo PD quickly moved on to 'Aneun Jinjja' within two months, retaining Lee Sang-min and Kim Jun-ho. Some viewers find the combination of these two familiar from 'My Little Old Boy,' 'Single for Men,' and now 'Aneun Jinjja.' The announcement of 'Aneun Jinjja' has elicited mixed reactions online, with comments like "The lineup is predictable," "Only Tak Jae-hoon and Lee Soo-ji will talk," and "Why is Kai there?" However, there are also positive voices saying, "I can't imagine what the show will be like. I'm excited."

Pre-released stills show the hosts in prison and as a project mixed group, sparking curiosity about the kind of talk show 'Aneun Jinjja' will present with its unique world and characters. However, the repetitive cast may lead to viewer fatigue. While the familiar combination can be comforting, it may also lower expectations.

With the long-running variety show 'You Are My Destiny Season 2 - Same Bed, Different Dreams' moving to Tuesday, 'Aneun Jinjja' has taken the Monday 10 PM slot. It remains to be seen if it can capture the hearts of viewers.

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