Yoo Jae-suk. Yonhap News

Comedian Yoo Jae-suk is soldiering on amid the exit of Lee Yi-kyung.

On the December 13 broadcast of MBC variety program ‘Hangout With Yoo?’ (directed by Kim Jin-yong Lee Joo-won Ahn Ji-seon Bang Seong-su/writer Noh Min-seon), the ‘Insamo (Meeting of Unpopular People)’ members took on a mission that revealed their improvisational skills, and prepared give-back gifts for a fan meeting. Their charms came through and big laughs followed.

Thrown into an interview scenario as a mission to win over the at-home producers, the ‘Insamo’ members displayed a variety of coping skills. Tukutz, even when the interviewers asked needling questions, said confidently, “I did not latch onto the (Epik High) team. I am confident I have fulfilled one-third of the role.” He then picked V of BTS as a rival, faced a crisis when he could not list all of the members of BTS, but doggedly overcame it. Haha, when his answer was criticized, showed quick wit by turning the attack on the interviewers, and drew attention by naming Yoo Jae-suk as the mountain he had to climb.

Heo Sung-tae leveraged his experience entering a large company to take first place in the interview evaluations. Having worked in the corporate control offices at L Company and D Company and on an overseas marketing team, Heo appealed to the prompt ‘Sell yourself’ by saying, “Twenty years ago my TOEIC score was 820, and I am fluent in Russian. I actually marketed LCD TVs in Russia and Eastern Europe,” making his case. Even at a sudden request, he showed off fluent Russian, exuding unexpected charm. Han Sang-jin, overflowing with enthusiasm, rattled off answers without structure and picked up the new nickname ‘Jang-hwang-jin,’ and when time was up and his answer was cut off, he made people laugh by revealing a complex, saying, “Is it because he (Heo Sung-tae) was on ‘Squid Game’?”

Kim Kwang-gyu and Choi Hong-man began the interview mired in not knowing the meaning of ‘commerce,’ unable to state their motivation for applying. Kim Kwang-gyu tried to appeal with the physical strength from his background as a special martial arts instructor, but after a paltry kick and two shouted attempts he burst into coughing, making the room fall silent. In the English interview, he showed a strangely captivating charm with ‘Gwangglish,’ boldly mixing Korean into his speech. For his self-introduction, Choi Hong-man kept repeating only, “Hello. I am new employee Choi Hong-man,” refusing to introduce anything beyond his name and making the interviewers laugh.

Jung Joon-ha, who took first place in the second popularity vote, conducted a solo interview. Starting off shrinking back, he staged a scene of getting scolded in the interview room, making everyone roar. However, when it came to the balloon show that had lifted him to number one, he boasted, saying, “I did my best, received good evaluations, and was recognized.” He then caused laughter by talking behind the backs of Kim Kwang-gyu and Han Sang-jin, saying, “There are also people who came out without sincerity, thinking whatever happens, happens.”

MBC variety program ‘Hangout With Yoo?’

Then the ‘Insamo’ members prepared a unique give-back gift for fans by making 100 heads of kimchi themselves. While making kimchi, the members picked candidates for a Christmas carol to sing as a group. ‘First Snow’ by EXO, ‘White Winter’ by Mr.2, ‘Merry Christmas in Advance’ by IU, ‘Love Song’ by 7 Princesses, and ‘Must Have Love’ by Brown Eyed Girls&SG Wannabe were mentioned, and Jung Joon-ha, who can handle all the songs with nasal power, naturally emerged as the main vocalist. Yoo Jae-suk worried, saying, “Surely we did not secure 300 seats only to have empty ones, right? I am worried there might be kimchi left over,” drawing interest as to whether the kimjang kimchi made with the sincerity of the ‘Insamo’ members would be delivered to all the fans.

Ideas also came up for personal stages to showcase each member’s individual charms. Haha egged Choi Hong-man on, saying, “Confess to the woman you are seeing that day,” and Choi Hong-man immersed himself in singing ‘Quietly Close Your Eyes’ by Jung Jae-wook, a song the woman he is seeing likes. Yoo Jae-suk and Joo Woo-jae suggested a ballad stage to Kim Kwang-gyu, saying, “You need to show a new side,” and recommended ‘Every Moment of You’ by Sung Si-kyung. Yoo Jae-suk made a suggestion to Heo Sung-tae, who owns a legendary dance GIF, saying, “Sung-tae, do you want to do GD?” and ‘TOO BAD,’ which became a hot topic as a collaboration stage between GD and Karina, was put on the candidate list. On top of that, Haha floated a collaboration idea with Chae Ri-na. Heo Sung-tae fell into thought over how to prepare the performance, raising curiosity about what individual stages the ‘Insamo’ members would prepare.

Meanwhile, the next broadcast’s trailer captured the ‘Insamo’ members giving a sneak peek of their personal stages a week ahead of the fan meeting scheduled for December 18. Outlandish stages foreshadowed laughs and heightened anticipation. MBC ‘Hangout With Yoo?’ airs every Saturday at 6:30 p.m.