Reality Parenting Challenge: Lee Kyung-kyu and Ahn Jung-hwan's Hilarious Struggles in 'Parenting Intern'

Lee Kyung-kyu and Ahn Jung-hwan's real-life parenting battles are unveiled.

Premiering on April 9, tvN STORY's new show 'Parenting Intern' is a reality growth entertainment program where soon-to-be grandfathers with little parenting experience spend a day with children, learning the ropes of childcare from scratch. The video released on the 26th hints at the chaos to come. Lee Kyung-kyu, exclaiming, “This is the worst, no, the best show I've ever done,” and Ahn Jung-hwan, repeatedly saying “It's hard” before collapsing to the floor, signal the beginning of their challenging journey.

The reason Lee Kyung-kyu and Ahn Jung-hwan are taking on 'twilight parenting' is the high possibility of them becoming grandfathers soon. Especially for Lee Kyung-kyu, whose 33-year-old daughter Lee Ye-rim is married, he enthusiastically declares, “I should help with twilight parenting!” However, their daughters' reactions are less than enthusiastic. Lee Ye-rim firmly states, “I won't leave my child with dad. I pretended not to hear,” shaking her head, while Ahn Jung-hwan's 23-year-old daughter Ahn Ri-won only responds with a meaningful smile.

Despite being rejected by their daughters, the two soon-to-be grandfathers take on the parenting challenge for their beloved children, but the actual experience is beyond imagination. From missing the instruction “Do not ring the doorbell” on his first day to sticking a pacifier into a bottle and asking a non-verbal 9-month-old baby to “tell me if you're sleepy,” Lee Kyung-kyu is a grandfather with zero childcare knowledge. He declares, “I can't do it! I can't!” when the baby won't sleep or cries when seated, yet he shows a tsundere side by offering snacks and looking guilty when breaking toys. His struggles as a 65-year-old experiencing childcare for the first time are vividly portrayed.

Ahn Jung-hwan's situation is no different. Despite being ignored by the child, he maintains his smile, saying, “It's better for me to come than Kyung-kyu hyung,” and thoroughly prepares with various childcare items like dolls, balloons, and child-friendly cooking tools. He exudes confidence, boasting his national athlete stamina. However, he fails to control his playfulness, making the child cry, and even performs a rare soccer ball heading performance but fails to capture the child's interest. Eventually, he collapses from exhaustion after actively playing with the child. The reality of parenting that even national athlete stamina couldn't withstand is vividly revealed.

'Parenting Intern' promises to deliver diverse entertainment as Lee Kyung-kyu and Ahn Jung-hwan, who have reached the pinnacle in their respective fields, transform into novices in front of children, showcasing the vivid reality of parenting. The chemistry between the soon-to-be grandfathers and the children also raises expectations. Will Lee Kyung-kyu and Ahn Jung-hwan succeed in escaping their intern status and overturn their daughters' cynical reactions? All eyes are on them.

tvN STORY's 'Parenting Intern' premieres on Thursday, April 9, at 8 PM.

Kim Se-ah, TenAsia Reporter haesmik@tenasia.co.kr