'Privacy Controversy' Hwang Jung-min Remains Unedited.. 'Whenever You Have Time' Ratings Debut at 3.8% [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Hwang Jung-min appeared as a guest for the new season of "Whenever You Have Time," which aired its premiere.

According to Nielsen Korea, a ratings survey company, the SBS variety program "Whenever You Have Time," broadcast on the 11th, recorded peak viewership of 4.8%, household ratings of 3.8%, and 1.1% among viewers aged 20-49 in the Seoul metropolitan area. This secured first place in both household and 20-49 age group ratings for the same time slot across all programs, marking a stable increase compared to the premiere episode of the previous season.

In that day's broadcast, co-hosts Yoo Jae-suk and Yoo Yeon-seok joined "Tteum-chingu (guests)" Hwang Jung-min and Jung Ho-yeon for the challenge.

Yoo Jae-suk expressed his gratitude for the long wait, saying, "Thank you for waiting so long," as he welcomed the new season.

The first "Tteum-jubuin (gap owner)" of this season, braving the scorching heat, was a trio of close friends from Daewon High School's first year. The three have been best friends since their first year of middle school, and their fresh friendship, which even includes working out together as a hobby, added warmth to the show. The first "Tteum-game" was "Dumbbell Pong Pong," where players had to hit two target balls on top of dumbbells using only 10 ping-pong balls. Notably, starting from this season, a new element called "Tteum-sae Chance" was added, allowing participants to draw one of five chance cards that mix lucky and unlucky outcomes, heightening the tension.

Yoo Jae-suk, Yoo Yeon-seok, Hwang Jung-min, and Jung Ho-yeon successfully completed the first two stages in just their fifth attempt. At stage three, they drew the "Ace Plays Alone" chance card through "Tteum-sae Chance," but Hwang Jung-min, selected as the ace, narrowly failed after leaving only three balls remaining. With limited attempts left, Jung Ho-yeon proposed a strict performance-based strategy: "Depending on results, let's have Senior Yoo Jae-suk throw just one ball in a 3-3-3-1 formation." Yoo Jae-suk initially protested, exclaiming, "Why only me with one chance!" but soon declared his determination, saying, "I will make history with this single shot." However, "Whenever You Have Time," which had historically struggled when visiting schools, once again failed to overcome its school jinx and could not complete stage three.

Jung Ho-yeon surprised everyone by showcasing her exceptional gaming expertise. She mentioned, "Even during the filming of 'Squid Game,' I often made coffee bets with director Hwang Dong-hyuk," then listed numerous games she wanted to play, adding, "I really want to play more games soon," revealing her passion for gaming. When Jung Ho-yeon even suggested, "Let's make a game out of the snacks provided by our production team," Yoo Jae-suk laughed and raised his white flag, saying, "Ho-yeon loves games too much," sparking widespread laughter.

The next "Tteum-jubuin" was a trio of mothers attending night school. These women, who have been learning Hangul together for several years, entertained the audience with their witty remarks that reflected their life experience. In particular, Mother Choi Ye-soon humorously remarked, "When I couldn't read Hangul, I couldn't find money; now, because I don't have money, I can't even look for it," delivering a spicy comment that left everyone in stitches.

The second game for the mothers was "Chalk Toss." Yoo Jae-suk unexpectedly emerged as the ace and contributed to their success up to stage two. Through "Tteum-sae Chance," he earned a solo challenge opportunity as the ace, but due to nervousness and pressure, he failed to capitalize on the chance. The mothers then bluntly commented, "Oh, we shouldn't have taken that chance," causing more laughter. Although the four participants ultimately ended the game with failure at stage three, their intense focus on each step of the chalk toss inspired passionate support from the audience until the very end.

Meanwhile, Hwang Jung-min is currently embroiled in a privacy controversy. Recently, an individual identified as A claimed to have maintained private meetings with Hwang Jung-min, citing captured messenger conversations and phone call recordings as evidence.

However, Hwang Jung-min's agency, Sam Company, responded by stating, "A is a suspect in stalking crimes who has continuously harassed Hwang Jung-min," and warned that they would pursue additional legal action against the maliciously edited posts.

In this context, on the 11th, a final trial was held at the Uijeongbu District Court Goyang Branch's Criminal Division No. 4 (Presiding Judge Kim Young-a) regarding A, who was indicted on charges including violation of the Stalking Punishment Act. On that day, the Prosecution Service requested a fine of 10 million won and an order for rehabilitation education for A.

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*This content was translated by AI.