MBC's 'Manito Club' Season 2 Delivers Heartwarming Laughter with Special Midnight Diner for Firefighters

MBC's 'Manito Club' Season 2 members brought heartwarming laughter as they opened a special midnight diner for firefighters, showcasing their exceptional chemistry. The anticipation is building as the first full meeting of Season 3 members Cha Tae-hyun, Park Bo-young, Lee Sun-bin, Hwang Kwang-hee, and Kang Hoon is also teased.

In the episode aired on the 15th, 'Manito Club' Episode 7 featured Jung Hae-in, Go Yoon-jung, Park Myung-soo, Hong Jin-kyung, Kim Do-hoon, and Chef Yoon Nam-no embarking on a 'Secret Manito' mission. They prepared a special late-night meal for the dedicated Bucheon Fire Station firefighters who work tirelessly for public safety.

The episode achieved a record-breaking viewership rating of 2.3% in the Seoul metropolitan area. The key demographic of viewers aged 20-54 also showed an upward trend with a 1.1% rating. Since its first season, which featured BLACKPINK's Jennie, 'Manito Club' had maintained ratings in the 1% range until it hit its highest rating in the sixth episode. The peak moment, with a 3.4% rating, was when Jung Hae-in, Go Yoon-jung, Park Myung-soo, Hong Jin-kyung, Kim Do-hoon, and Chef Yoon Nam-no hurriedly simulated the opening of the midnight diner for the firefighters. (Nielsen Korea, Seoul metropolitan area)

Before the main mission, the members conducted a reconnaissance of the fire station. To maintain secrecy, they disguised their mission as a 'documentary filming.' Chef Yoon Nam-no and Kim Do-hoon transformed into documentary MCs to naturally conduct interviews and gather information, while Jung Hae-in, Go Yoon-jung, Park Myung-soo, and Hong Jin-kyung monitored the situation from another location, continuing their tense undercover operation. Unexpected laughter erupted with Park Myung-soo's spontaneous 'avatar command.'

Chef Yoon Nam-no shared a past experience of receiving help from firefighters and prepared a heartfelt meal. The goal was to serve 60 portions, ensuring that even those who were on duty could enjoy a warm meal. The menu included seafood kalguksu, turmeric rice, abalone meatballs with truffle, and 'Dujonshu,' a dessert using rice cakes instead of marshmallows, all designed to rejuvenate the firefighters. Under Chef Yoon Nam-no's leadership, Jung Hae-in, Go Yoon-jung, and Kim Do-hoon took on their respective roles to tackle the large-scale cooking.

The preparation process was not without challenges, from handling live abalone to endless chopping. With a five-hour time limit, it was a race against the clock. Jung Hae-in and Kim Do-hoon took charge of the truffle abalone meatballs, operating a 'meat factory' using their forearm muscles, while Go Yoon-jung handled the 'Dujonshu,' preparing 60 servings of dessert. Park Myung-soo joined later, focusing on abalone preparation, kalguksu dough, and homemade noodles, while Hong Jin-kyung was responsible for the seafood kalguksu and turmeric rice.

Throughout the cooking process, the members' chemistry shone. Despite their playful bickering, they united with the goal of opening the midnight diner, showcasing their teamwork. The 'meat master' Jung Hae-in received endless trust from Go Yoon-jung, who praised him as a 'professional,' while Kim Do-hoon and Chef Yoon Nam-no entertained with their humorous kitchen hierarchy banter. Park Myung-soo and Hong Jin-kyung's flirtatious skit had everyone in stitches, and Park's exhaustion led him to humorously declare, "This is harder than 'Infinite Challenge,'" eventually dropping the concept for more laughs.

With preparations complete, the members finally opened the midnight diner. The fire station's cafeteria transformed into a warm, inviting space where the kitchen was hidden from view. Despite their nervousness, the members conducted a simulation before the real event, but frequent mistakes due to their urgency added to the tension. At 9 PM, the firefighters began to arrive, and contrary to expectations, a large number of them visited at once, leading to a flood of orders. With the first order being for eight servings, viewers are left wondering if the members can successfully serve their first late-night meal.

Lee So-jung, TenAsia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr