[Exclusive]The Reason Why It Had to be Lim Young-woong..'Mountain Bachelor' PD: "A Sincere Person Without Deceit" [Interview 1]

*This content was translated by AI.

• Interview with Han Bi-in, PD of SBS's new variety program "Mountain Bachelor Young-woong"

What does singer Lim Young-woong look like after settling in the mountains? Lim Young-woong, once known as the "Island Bachelor," has returned this time as the "Mountain Bachelor."

StarNews conducted a written interview with Han Bi-in, the director of SBS's variety program "Mountain Bachelor Young-woong," on the 24th.

'Mountain Bachelor Young-woong' is a variety program that follows Lim Young-woong, who has become a mountain man by crossing mountains and rivers, enjoying an unplanned, pollution-free daily life according to his instincts. The first episode, which aired on the 23rd, featured Lim Young-woong, comedian Heo Kyeong-hwan, actor Hyun Bong-sik, and singer Jo Jae-jeu tending to their surroundings. The first episode achieved a viewership rating of 5% among Seoul metropolitan area households according to Nielsen Korea, with a peak of 6.5%.

Regarding the reason for collaborating with Lim Young-woong once again after last year's August-September broadcast of "Island Bachelor Young-woong," PD Han stated, "The production team also worked with Lim Young-woong for the first time during 'Island Bachelor Young-woong.' As a superstar with a massive fanbase, he initially seemed difficult to work with, but the more we got to know him, the more we realized he is a person without pretense and quite humble."

He continued, "Especially during 'Island Bachelor Young-woong,' when he interacted with the elderly residents of the village, his relaxed tone and expression were truly genuine and sincere. Even when the cameras were off, he treated both the production team and the elderly villagers with the same consistency. At times, he even seemed like an ordinary participant who was awkward in front of the camera." He then commented on Lim Young-woong's unpretentious demeanor.

PD Han added, "It seems viewers also appreciate Lim Young-woong's sincere side. That's why we wanted to showcase that charm once again this time. It's like revealing the true essence of Lim Young-woong as a human being."

In "Mountain Bachelor Young-woong," the house where Lim Young-woong and his friends stay feels completely cut off from the outside world, as if they've entered another space, while the harmonious sounds of nature naturally create a relaxing atmosphere. Lim Young-woong could not hide his satisfaction upon first seeing the house.

Regarding the location, PD Han explained, "The owner of the house raised children and personally cultivated the place, so there was a lot of affection for it. When we visited for scouting, it had been vacant for a long time, with no water supply and no warmth inside. The production team traveled back and forth to Gangwon Province, beautifully decorated both the interior and exterior, and lived there to fill it with warmth, which made us even more attached to it."

He also recalled, "Throughout the planning period, we had a very tight schedule while searching for a filming location, visiting many places. As the filming date approached, we discovered this house, and from the moment we crossed the stream and entered, an exclamation of 'Wow!' naturally escaped our lips."

He further added, "From the moment we entered the house, it felt as though we were completely cut off from the outside world and had entered a village in the Donghwa area. The sound of the stream, the wind, and the birdsong—all the sights, sounds, and feelings experienced in this space combined to make my heart feel extremely peaceful. We hoped that the participants would feel the same when they first entered the house. It's like saying, 'Ah, I rested so comfortably. It was a satisfying vacation.' Similarly, we hoped that this feeling would be fully conveyed to the viewers."

The combination of Lim Young-woong, Heo Kyeong-hwan, Hyun Bong-sik, and Jo Jae-jeu brought comfort to viewers. They formed pairs to find tasks to do together, and later gathered to have sincere conversations.

Regarding these pairings, PD Han said, "Hyun Bong-sik and Jo Jae-jeu mentioned that they had so much fun filming that they were reluctant to leave. Especially Hyun Bong-sik, despite being busy with a movie shoot, made a special effort to adjust his schedule to join Lim Young-woong. He said, 'I enjoyed it like a vacation; it was very relaxing.' It seems the chemistry among the four was excellent. Even just sharing a meal or chatting casually, they were friends who could find joy in each other's words." He expressed high satisfaction with the group.

He then noted, "The next group of friends will be quite different, so it might feel like an entirely different program. You can look forward to seeing who the next participants will be," thereby raising expectations.

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*This content was translated by AI.