Zico joins Choo Sung-hoon, Kim Jong-kook for 'A Man's Travel Method in Taiwan'
In short
SBS Plus and MBN's entertainment show “A Man's Travel Method in Taiwan”, starring Choo Sung-hoon, Kim Jong-kook and new member Zico, held an online press conference on the morning of October 6. The season follows a three-night, four-day trip that begins in Taipei, and the first episode was reported to air on the night of October 6, according to Maeil Business. Zico joins in place of Big Bang's Daesung, and the cast said the show mixes planned and improvised elements.
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The SBS Plus and MBN entertainment show “A Man's Travel Method in Taiwan” held an online press conference on the morning of October 6, with cast members Choo Sung-hoon, Kim Jong-kook and Zico and producer Kim Jin-ho attending, Hankook Ilbo reported. Maeil Business reported the first episode would air on the night of October 6, following a three-night, four-day trip that begins in Taipei. [ 1 , 3 ]
The Taiwan season is the second for the format, after “A Man's Travel Method in Kyushu”, which aired in April and May, according to Hankook Ilbo. Zico joined as a new member in place of Big Bang's Daesung. Producer Kim Jin-ho said Zico had been at the top of the casting list and was chosen to balance the two older members. [ 3 ]
Kim Jong-kook said the programme should not be called a reality show, describing it as “semi-real”. He said that if a plan feels tiring or unfun, it is changed, and that he can exercise spontaneously if he wants to, adding that there is “a lot of change” while filming. Choo Sung-hoon said the cast tell the production team when they do not want to go somewhere, and producer Kim Jin-ho said the team scouts several times the number of locations needed and obtains permits on the spot when the members ask to go somewhere. [ 3 ]
Kim Jong-kook also spoke about joining the trip while newly married, saying there is pleasure in meeting Choo and the production team, and described Choo as feeling like a neighbourhood thug older brother, according to Chosun Ilbo reports. Zico said he was treated like a top star as the youngest member, felt no burden about joining, and was comfortable with the older members' hands-off approach, adding that he discovered a clumsy side of himself during the trip. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
On location, Maeil Business reported the three men eat at a well-known Taiwanese jokbal restaurant and visit a massage shop and a local teppan restaurant during the trip. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The programme is a second season of a format that previously travelled in Kyushu, and the addition of Zico gives it a new cast line-up for broadcaster SBS Plus and Maeil Business's MBN. As entertainment-industry output, its relevance is largely limited to viewers of Korean travel variety shows and fans of the three cast members.
Key facts
- “A Man's Travel Method in Taiwan” is an SBS Plus and MBN entertainment show starring Choo Sung-hoon, Kim Jong-kook and Zico. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- An online press conference for the show was held on the morning of October 6, attended by Choo Sung-hoon, Zico, Kim Jong-kook and producer Kim Jin-ho. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Zico joined as a new member in place of Big Bang's Daesung for this season. [ 3 ]
- The season follows the previous “A Man's Travel Method in Kyushu”, which aired in April and May. [ 3 ]
- Maeil Business reported the first episode would air on the night of October 6 and covers a three-night, four-day trip starting in Taipei. [ 1 ]
- Kim Jong-kook said the programme is not a full reality show but “semi-real”, and that plans change when the cast wants something different. [ 3 ]
- Producer Kim Jin-ho said Zico was at the top of the casting list and was chosen to balance the two older members. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- An online press conference for “A Man's Travel Method in Taiwan” took place on October 6 with Choo Sung-hoon, Kim Jong-kook, Zico and producer Kim Jin-ho. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Zico is a newly added member of the cast this season. [ 1 , 3 , 5 ]
- The show airs on SBS Plus and MBN. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The cast described the show as travelling according to instinct rather than a fixed plan, with the production team adapting to the members' choices. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- How much of the travel is improvised rather than planned Kim Jong-kook said the programme is “semi-real” rather than full reality, while the show is promoted as instinct-driven; the documents do not resolve the balance.
- The exact broadcast date and time of the premiere Only Maeil Business states the first episode airs on the night of October 6; no other document gives a broadcast date or time.
- Viewer reaction or ratings for the first episode The documents were published around the press conference and premiere and contain no audience figures or reviews.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Maeil Business reports that the first episode airs the night of October 6 and follows a three-night, four-day trip starting in Taipei. [ 1 ]
- Reports are published from the online press conference held that morning, including Kim Jong-kook's remarks about travelling while newly married and about meeting Choo Sung-hoon. [ 2 ]
- A fuller account of the press conference is published, with quotes from Kim Jong-kook, Choo Sung-hoon, Zico and producer Kim Jin-ho. [ 3 ]
- Kim Jong-kook's remark that Choo Sung-hoon feels like a neighbourhood thug older brother is reported. [ 4 ]
- Zico's remarks that he was treated like a top star as the youngest member and felt no burden joining are reported. [ 5 ]