"All for naught": Jeon Hyun-moo's World Cup broadcast debut ends in disappointment [The Boss Has Donkey Ears]

*This content was translated by AI.

'The Boss Has Donkey Ears' MC Jeon Hyun-moo, along with Lee Young-pyo, Jung Ho-young, Yang Jun-hyuk, Lee Kyung-gyu, and Nam Hyeon-jong, added excitement by sharing behind-the-scenes footage from Mexico, where the 2026 FIFA North, Central America, and Caribbean World Cup will be held.

The the 5th broadcast of KBS 2TV's variety show 'The Boss Has Donkey Ears' (hereafter referred to as 'Boss with Donkey Ears') Episode 364 continued its streak of ranking first in the same time slot for 213 consecutive weeks (based on Nielsen Korea data).

Ahead of the Group Stage match against South Africa, Jeon Hyun-moo diligently prepared for the broadcast by filling a notebook with players' names, unique details, and team tactics. In the vehicle heading to the stadium, Lee Young-pyo warned about the experienced leadership of South Africa's Hugo Broos coach. Lee Young-pyo remarked, "Whenever South African players give interviews, they often say they absolutely trust their coach. A team that has earned complete confidence in its coach naturally develops strong organizational cohesion. That concerns me," drawing attention.

Upon arriving at the Monterrey World Cup stadium, Jeon Hyun-moo and Lee Young-pyo were visibly flustered after checking the starting lineup. Especially when Son Heung-min and Lee Jae-sung, key members of the national team, were excluded from the starting lineup, Lee Young-pyo expressed disbelief, saying, "Is this really true? I can't believe it." When Jeon Hyun-moo responded, "Since there will be a lot of discussion about Son Heung-min's exclusion from the starting lineup, I'll ask again during the broadcast," Lee Young-pyo laughed and awkwardly replied, "Don't ask." At the same time, announcers Lee Kyung-gyu and Nam Hyeon-jong, who visited the venue for the preview show, closely observed the players' warm-ups and conveyed the stadium's vibrant atmosphere. Lee Kyung-gyu also expressed concern upon seeing Son Heung-min excluded from the starting lineup, saying, "Why was that done? I'm anxious," while still expressing hope for the players' performances.

The cast of 'Boss with Donkey Ears' continued their activities on location. Chef Jung Ho-young and Yang Jun-hyuk, who joined the World Cup support group in Mexico, held a cheering event with overseas Koreans at a local restaurant. Jung Ho-young prepared Korean street foods representative of K-food culture—tteokbokki, sundae, and chicken—to welcome them and prayed for South Korea's victory.

As the match began, Jeon Hyun-moo smoothly continued the broadcast, showcasing his '77s chemistry' with Lee Young-pyo, who is of the same age group. He perfectly handled the player calls and technical terms that had previously been most challenging for him, proving his hard work. However, contrary to expectations, South Korea conceded an early goal in the second half against South Africa and failed to mount any significant attacks, ultimately losing 1-0. After the match, Jeon Hyun-moo said, "If we had won, I planned to do a lip-to-lip kiss performance with Lee Young-pyo. All of that went up in smoke." While expressing regret and disappointment, he added with a smile, "If I ever commentate on football again, I'll dream of the day when I definitely get to kiss Young-pyo."

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*This content was translated by AI.