KBS Newcomer Announcers Face Unexpected Challenges on 'The Boss Has Donkey Ears'

KBS's new announcers Park Hyo-jin, Lee Sang-cheol, and Shim Soo-hyun encountered a series of unexpected challenges during a live news critique session. The rookies made several mistakes, and Park Hyo-jin, born in 2001, was even brought to tears. Former KBS announcer Jun Hyun-moo, who is a senior to them, comforted the newcomers by revealing, "I was disciplined every season."

The 342nd episode of KBS2's variety show 'The Boss Has Donkey Ears' aired on the 1st, achieving a peak viewership rating of 7.9% and a nationwide rating of 5.1%, maintaining its position as the number one show in its time slot for 191 consecutive weeks, according to Nielsen Korea.

KBS's 51st class of new announcers, Park Hyo-jin, Lee Sang-cheol, and Shim Soo-hyun, conducted a live news critique session in front of many senior announcers. Despite having experience from other broadcasting stations, the unexpected situations that unfolded heightened the tension.

Shim Soo-hyun was praised by Chief Announcer Han Sang-kwon for her composure in finishing the news despite sudden noise interruptions, noting her strong mental fortitude. Senior announcer Huh Yoo-won, from the 50th class, suggested Shim practice the 'A E I O U' pronunciation, as she seemed not to use her facial muscles effectively. Jun Hyun-moo humorously remarked, "Is this a tradition being passed down?"

Lee Sang-cheol, with six years of news experience, impressed special MC San from ATEEZ by converting breaking news delivered in keywords into full sentences without panic. Senior announcer Park Ji-hyun noticed Lee's ears turning red when flustered and advised him to apply makeup to his ears, as it could be noticeable on air.

Park Hyo-jin, who openly declared her ambition to become an anchor, faced criticism when she responded "Yes" to a PD's cue to wrap up the news. Senior announcer Yoon Soo-young expressed disappointment in her delivery, stating, "I had high expectations because you said you wanted to be an anchor, but your news delivery was disappointing." Park was moved to tears by the candid feedback from her seniors. PD Um Ji-in offered sincere advice, saying, "You may be upset now, but you must not receive the same criticism from viewers. You need to be more assertive in news delivery, or you'll end up like a parrot or AI." Jun Hyun-moo lightened the mood by sharing his own past disciplinary experiences.

Chef Cho Seo-hyung, who previously appeared as a special MC on 'The Boss Has Donkey Ears,' returned as the 'New Boss,' adding excitement. Cho, known for transforming Euljiro into 'Hipjiro,' boasted about his restaurant's popularity, with reservations selling out in just eight seconds. He spends around 2 million won monthly on quick delivery fees for fresh seasonal ingredients. Cho engaged in a cooking competition with a new employee, who had been with the company for just four days, to develop a new spring menu. Comedian Park Myung-soo joined as a taste evaluator, adding intrigue.

The new employee showcased a burrito and seaweed soup, while Cho prepared clam meatballs with spring herbs and pork with a special stonecrop sauce. Park Myung-soo praised Cho's dish, saying, "The natural flavors of the ingredients are well-preserved. It felt like a treat," selecting it as the new menu item.

As business hours began, Cho performed a rice pot opening ceremony and presented a series of dishes, including seafood, marinated crab, and pork with dried radish greens, impressing the guests. Cho demonstrated his 'business genius' by incorporating the new employee's idea of adding seaweed to the clam meatball soup.

A few days later, Cho visited Chef Park Ga-ram's restaurant to prepare for a collaborative dinner show. The 'Korean Cuisine Sisters' dinner show featured Cho's bold and intuitive Korean dishes alongside Park's delicate and modern Korean cuisine. Renowned chefs from 'Black and White Chef' seasons 1 and 2, including Kim Hee-eun, Kim Tae-sung, Hyun Sang-wook, Kim Hoon, and Woo Jung-wook, were invited.

Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr