TV
BLACKPINK's Jennie Makes a Surprise Exit During 'Secret Manito' Mission on 'Manito Club'
On the episode aired on the 15th, the show featured an unpredictable impromptu trip with Choo Sung-hoon and Noh Hong-chul, followed by an epic 'Secret Manito' mission targeting elementary school students.
The team-based 'Secret Manito' mission was captivating from the start. Unlike individual Manito missions, this time Choo Sung-hoon, Noh Hong-chul, Lee Soo-ji, Dex, and Jennie had to work together as a team to complete the mission, with the opportunity to be promoted to full members upon success. The Manito headquarters rated the members' undercover skills as C-grade, and accordingly, the mission was conducted targeting elementary school students. The extraordinary project required them to provide a 'gift-like day' to the students while keeping their identities hidden within 48 hours.
The members infiltrated an elementary school near Namsan and briefly indulged in nostalgic school memories before gathering information from the students' wish tree notes. The wishes ranged from whimsical to unexpectedly realistic, with Lee Soo-ji getting emotional reading a wish for parents' health. After much deliberation, the members came up with the idea of a 'gift vending machine', preparing customized gifts for each grade and creating a special vending machine to observe the students' reactions from hiding. The members planned to become the students' friends, acting as their Santa, Genie, and fairy godmother.
The members' networking efforts for special guests also drew attention. Lee Soo-ji teamed up with Jennie to contact national badminton player Ahn Se-young for students passionate about the sport, while Choo Sung-hoon reached out to 'Physical' series winner Amoti. Meanwhile, Noh Hong-chul humorously contacted Kim Kwang-kyu for a student who wished to be bald, eliciting laughter with Kim's response about ancestral blessings.
On the day of the 'Secret Manito' event, the members were amazed by the seamless completion of the gift vending machine, designed to deliver gifts and observe the students' reactions from a hidden space. As the students began arriving, the members, contrary to their simulation, fumbled humorously. Jennie, who had memorized all the students' faces, faced her 'biggest life crisis' and momentarily exited the scene. However, the members soon regained composure and efficiently delivered personalized gifts to 103 students.
The students were delighted by the unexpected gifts, and the members were equally touched by the students' immediate reactions, finding the experience healing. Noh Hong-chul's mini amusement park gift was a hit, with students exclaiming, "The school turned into an amusement park!" The post-vending machine event also delivered special emotions. Notably, the fifth graders, unaware of their Manito's identity, cheered at Jennie's surprise video message revealing, "I was your Manito, Jennie," and the special video message from Ahn Se-young for the entire school added to the lingering impression.
Meanwhile, the end of the broadcast teased the upcoming activities of the 'Manito Club' Season 2 cast, including Jung Hae-in, Go Yoon-jung, Park Myung-soo, Hong Jin-kyung, and Kim Do-hoon, heightening anticipation. The next mission involves delivering handmade gifts, with more thorough undercover activities and bold gift-giving shows promised, along with the introduction of the hidden Manito 'Megi'.
'Manito Club' Episode 4 will air on the 22nd at 6:05 PM.
Reported by Kim Se-ah, Ten Asia haesmik@tenasia.co.kr
