TV
Lee Seo-jin's 'Dalla Dalla': A Candid Journey Through Texas on Netflix
On the 24th, a production presentation for Netflix's variety show 'Lee Seo-jin's Dalla Dalla' was held at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, attended by actor Lee Seo-jin, PD Na Young-seok, and PD Kim Ye-seul.
'Lee Seo-jin's Dalla Dalla' is an unscripted American travel variety show featuring Lee Seo-jin and PD Na Young-seok. The show follows 'Texas enthusiast' Lee Seo-jin, who considers Texas his second home, and Na Young-seok's team on their adventurous journey, promising laughter.
Lee Seo-jin explained his choice of Texas as a travel destination, saying, "As some may know, Texas is trending in the U.S. Many companies are relocating there, including Tesla." He added, "I've been visiting Texas frequently, and it's a great place to live with good weather. I thought it would be a nice place to retire."
He emphasized that he has long considered Texas as a retirement destination. Lee Seo-jin said, "I've often mentioned that Dallas, Texas, is where I want to retire." He continued, "Not many people have actually visited Texas, so I've been telling people they must visit."
He also shared filming anecdotes. Lee Seo-jin said, "I think it's polite to wear the team's clothes when attending a sports game and to wear theme park merchandise when visiting a theme park."
However, his long-time friend of 15 years, PD Na Young-seok, recalled the trip, saying, "We visited many stadiums, but there were no games, just empty stadiums." He added, "We went to the merchandise shop, picked out items, but he didn't buy anything. We spent $200-$300, but he said he already bought them before."
He continued, "It felt like a shopping-included travel package, which was a unique experience." He also revealed, "I don't know how many clothes I bought in the U.S. My wardrobe has grown a lot. Lee Seo-jin kept encouraging me to buy more, like gaslighting. The clothes I'm wearing at the production presentation were bought in Texas."
When asked about his thoughts on the award, he responded calmly. Lee Seo-jin said, "I'm currently living the challenging life of a theater actor, so I don't think much about the entertainment award." He added, "Entertainment awards are forgotten in two weeks. I don't think much of it. The grand prize might remain, but the best award just passes by."
In response, PD Na Young-seok admitted, "After editing, I felt I might have misjudged." He explained, "The intention was to naturally show the chemistry with long-time colleagues like writer Lee Woo-jung, writer Kim Dae-joo, and Lee Seo-jin, following Lee Seo-jin, who knows America well."
However, he acknowledged that his screen time was more than expected. He said, "In the past, I was rarely on screen because I was filming, but this time, with junior PD Kim Ye-seul directing, I ended up appearing more. It was embarrassing." He added, "If we produce another season, I'll significantly reduce my screen time."
Regarding expected performance, PD Na Young-seok said, "I'm not expecting great results. It was originally a small-scale content, but it ended up on Netflix, which added pressure." However, he added, "Netflix said it's not a high-budget production, so it's okay. I hope viewers see it as a relaxing healing content rather than targeting the overseas market."
Kim Se-a, Ten Asia Reporter haesmik@tenasia.co.kr