Actress Lee Min-jung of ‘Heart on Wheels‘ responded to the six-year love call from the PD of ‘Stars’ Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant.’ The program, which features her name, is generating anticipation by including her husband Lee Byung-hun’s talent donation.

On the morning of the 16th, a production presentation for KBS 2TV’s new entertainment program ‘Heart on Wheels’ was held at KBS Art Hall located in Yeouido, Seoul. Attending this event were Lee Min-jung, Ahn Jae-hyun, Kim Jung-hyun, and Kim Jae-won, who discussed the program with Producer Hwang Seong-hoon under the hosting of KBS announcer Lim Ji-woon.

‘Heart on Wheels‘ is an observational variety show that delivers a mobile convenience store filled with daily necessities to a rural village and spends a night there. It is a new program presented by Producer Hwang Seong-hoon, who received acclaim in 2019 for ‘Stars’ Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant,’ and is generating excitement.

In particular, ‘Heart on Wheels’ has drawn attention as it is a program featuring Lee Min-jung challenging herself with her name. Leading the way is ‘host’ Lee Min-jung, along with the uniquely charismatic Boom as the MC, model-turned-actor Ahn Jae-hyun, actor Kim Jung-hyun, and the recently rising star Kim Jae-won.

Regarding the planning intention, Producer Hwang Seong-hoon noted, “I have been continuously suggesting to Lee Min-jung since I started ‘Fun-Staurant’ in 2019 to join us. After six years, it has finally come to fruition.” He further added, “Our program can simply be summarized with three letters: ‘Lee Min-jung.’ After a long wait, the response has come, and we chose to do the program that requires the most effort.”

He also explained the casting reasons, stating, “Boom Hyeong is always a muse for my program. Ahn Jae-hyun is someone whom everyone among women of my age likes. Kim Jung-hyun was highly recommended as a really warm person by overlapping acquaintances when they heard about the program’s concept. After a meeting, I had a good feeling and had a hard time bringing them on board. Kim Jae-won is a rising star with a strong presence, so I invited him as I thought I wouldn’t have the chance to see him again in the future.”

How did Lee Min-jung agree to participate? Lee Min-jung said, “When I first heard the title, I thought it wouldn’t be easy for it to come out like this. But Boom’s real name is Lee Min-ho. In my opinion, I feel inadequate to lead the entertainment and since this is my first time, I think ‘Lee Min’ is Boom and I am in charge of ‘Jung.’ In reality, I am receiving a lot of help.”

She added, “This is a program about ‘sharing affection,’ and that’s why Lee Min-jung comes at the end. We wanted to go and receive a lot of affection and give a lot as well. There have been many incidents like ‘wildfires’ and many difficulties faced by the elderly these days, so I hoped to share a bit of warm affection and create a heartwarming atmosphere.”

Meanwhile, Ahn Jae-hyun commented on an on-set episode, saying, “Min-jung noona has been very insightful, like thinking of Lee Min-ho and Lee Min-jung. If my speed is 1, Min-jung noona is like 5 or 7, with appropriate role assignments and fun, which was satisfying. All feelings have been satisfactory. Like a sports team director, she effectively responds to whatever happens at the right moment. I am filming very happily.” He added, “There are always episodes on set. While we work hard, there are unexpected variables, and I hope those variables come out entertainingly in the broadcast. I believe there will be many episodes.”

Kim Jung-hyun also mentioned, “The story about the door panel was mentioned in the preview, and I thought the screen door’s mesh was intentionally left out since I had to enter and exit a lot. But watching the broadcast, it actually fell by accident. I found that amusing. And as Rehyeon said, our Jae-won is expected to shine from the opening in the first episode. Please look forward to the kind of performance he will give. Episodes are always happening, so I hope you enjoy them!”

He continued, “Since it’s my first time filming with Min-jung senior, I’m really nervous, but she laughs a lot and engages well in conversation. Because of that warmth, I feel comfortable filming. It’s like seeing everything like a true director, but for me, she always makes me feel at ease, so I hope everyone looks forward to it.”

What made Lee Min-jung choose this difficult format among the various suggestions from the PD? Lee Min-jung remarked, “I thought going somewhere for one night could be healing.” She cleverly expressed her sense of liberation as a working mom with two children with Lee Byung-hun. However, she also shared, “But when I came out after cooking at home, they ordered 60 servings. So I realized cooking would be something I couldn’t detach from.”

She said, “The reason I wanted to try an outdoor entertainment program is that actors don’t have many opportunities to explore unless it’s for filming. I personally wanted to see the beautiful forests, mountains, and seas in our country. I thought being in nature would reveal more natural aspects than being in a studio, as the cameras are rolling for over 24 hours. Unexpected moments could arise, and mistakes might happen, but those could be captured interestingly. However, I found outdoor entertainment to be quite challenging. I also think these experiences will become memories once I return home. Everyone is charming and fun, but I specifically teased Kim Jae-won a lot since I am from the class of ’01 and he was born in ’01. So I mentioned this to preempt any potential backlash from his fans, saying he’s a lovable and well-raised friend, hence my teasing.”

“I really like and admire Min-jung noona. She takes good care of me, so please don’t worry about it,” said Kim Jae-won as he waved his hands. “In fact, as a rookie actor, I feel like it wasn’t my choice to take this opportunity; rather, I was given it. Hearing the lineup of these wonderful cast and production staff, including the seniors here, Boom hyung, and the PD and writers, I felt there was no reason not to join. I believe that not many chances are given to show the real me compared to idol or singer counterparts. Therefore, I wanted to show the real ‘actor Kim Jae-won.’ Since it’s an outdoor entertainment program, I could forget that there are cameras and be myself, while following and trusting the noona and hyungs.”

Kim Jung-hyun spoke about his sentiments regarding his first entertainment program, saying, “I have been receiving various offers and thinking about it. The PD has a connection to me, and I have been close to the staff from the previous project, so I heard a lot. Although it was my first time meeting Lee Min-jung, I had heard a lot about her and the good things about them.”

He added, “Also, I don’t usually go outside much. I like to relax at home or exercise, and I thought just doing this program while seeing beautiful places and being with kind people could refresh my life, so I participated because I liked the intention behind it. However, I personally think walking around feels sufficient for filming. I am enjoying walking outside while everyone is resting. But for me, it was challenging to go to or find certain places.”

Regarding her entertainment-friendly endeavors as an actress, Lee Min-jung lamented, “I have two works that I filmed but haven’t been released yet. I am still acting in a way. I hope they will be released into the world soon.”

Additionally, concerning Lee Byung-hun’s support, she remarked, “My husband said this is a program with a good purpose, so when I asked him to lend his talent, he readily agreed to do the narration. He recorded it in a tone similar to what he sells everything in ‘Our Blues.’ I thought that would be interesting. Most importantly, he has been taking care of the children while I am out for the one night.”

Producer Hwang Seong-hoon, who is challenging prime time on Fridays with a star-studded cast, commented, “It is indeed a tough time slot. From my position, our cast members are captivating and intriguing, and I believe viewers will think the same, which makes it powerful. The program’s fundamental intention is to give affection, and if the agreement aligns with the public broadcasting channel, I think we can create synergy. I believe that these aspects are our program’s competitiveness.”

He also mentioned that regarding guest casting, “Our program fundamentally meets and helps the elderly a lot and participates in village work, so we have tried to invite kind individuals who can easily step forward and share affection. The people who actually joined us have gone above and beyond my expectations in terms of sacrifice and effort.” He added, “For expected viewer ratings, I would be happy with 3% in the metropolitan area and over 1% among the 2049 demographic.”

Furthermore, he emphasized that the format has a feeling of similarity to the popular program ‘Fresh off the Sea,’ which is currently airing its second season, stating, “Our intention is to communicate with the residents and convey the themes of ‘affection going and coming’ simply.” He also noted, “We call ourselves ‘the affection siblings.’ Jung-hyun especially works hard like an ox, which is really engaging. I hope you find it fun to watch those aspects.”

‘Heart on Wheels’ members emphasized communication with local seniors. Ahn Jae-hyun also mentioned, “We have six members, including seniors living in the area. The point of affection brings us together. I hope you can always look forward to new faces,” while adding, “I saw their passion and purity very well. We have a lot of special guests. I believe that ‘Heart on Wheels’ will get better with each episode—better from the first to the second episode, and better from the second to the third. I hope for a lot of anticipation.'

Lee Min-jung emphasized, “Meeting the elderly, just by them holding our hands and saying a word, I felt the warmth of time, heart, and experience for a long time. There were parts not captured on the broadcast, but there were people who cried while holding our hands. Just the fact that we conveyed warmth to those people is moving. I want to continue sharing affection.”

‘Heart on Wheels’ will have its first broadcast tonight at 9:50 p.m. and will meet viewers every Friday at the same time.

[Photo] OSEN’s Choi Kyu-han.

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