MBC every1 ‘Hotel Dokkaebi’ screen capture
Lee Dae-hwi of the idol group AB6IX is proving himself the mascot of the MBC every1 variety show ‘Hotel Dokkaebi,’ with his fluent foreign-language skills and distinctive savvy.
In ‘Hotel Dokkaebi,’ Lee Dae-hwi has transformed into a hotelier alongside Go Doo-shim, Kwon Yul, Son Na-eun, Kim Dong-jun, and Jeon Seong-gon to welcome international guests. The youngest on the team and active as a ‘multi player,’ he in particular has taken charge of communicating with foreign guests, emerging as a key pillar of the program.
In episode 2, he deftly navigated a crisis and coined the neologism ‘Sorry Food,’ drawing major buzz.
When bad weather forced the cancellation of the paragliding reservation the guests had been looking forward to, Lee prepared sweet roasted sweet potatoes and refreshing dongchimi and visited their rooms. Introducing them as “a small gift,” he first offered the food to soften the mood, then carefully conveyed the cancellation while expressing heartfelt apologies. Viewers praised Lee’s savvy in soothing the foreigners’ hearts with snacks imbued with Korean warmth, saying, “Roasted sweet potatoes and dongchimithis is true K-etiquette,” and, “The choice of the term ‘Sorry Food’ is so poignant and cute.”
His sincerity shone even brighter in episode 3, which aired on the 3rd. That day, a family of guests from Italy had to head out at 4 a.m., while everyone else slept, to climb Hallasan. Even though he was not accompanying them as a guide, Lee was the first to get up and, together with Kim Dong-jun and Jeon Seong-gon, saw them off. Rubbing his sleepy eyes yet checking on the departing guests’ safety and sending them off with upbeat greetings, his attentive care delivered a heartwarming touch.
After daybreak, he and ‘manager’ Kwon Yul led three Gen Z foreign guestsUmeda (Denmark), August (United States), and Anton (Switzerland)to a tangerine-picking experience.
Showcasing a ‘human tangerine’ look outfitted with orange items, Lee provided visual fun and, with excellent variety instincts, took charge on site. Amid the beautiful scenery of Jeju, he became both a flawless interpreter guide and a friend, gifting the guests unforgettable memories.
Going beyond simple interpretationwith attentive care that reads the other party’s feelings and diligence that gives his best even out of sightLee Dae-hwi has grown into an indispensable presence for ‘Hotel Dokkaebi.’ With each episode, viewers’ expectations are rising for his ever-evolving ‘all-rounder’ performance.
The healing reality show ‘Hotel Dokkaebi,’ set in a mysterious pop-up hotel, airs every Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. on MBC every1.
