"Such good luck," as Cha Taehyun shines in 'Whenever There's a Gap,' Season 5 achieves highest viewership [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

With actor Cha Taehyun’s standout performance, the variety show "Whenever There's a Gap" has shattered its own season record for viewership.

According to Nielsen Korea, the SBS entertainment program "Whenever There's a Gap," which aired on the 25th, recorded peak viewership of 6.2%, household rating of 4.2%, and 1.6% among viewers aged 20–49, marking the highest ratings for this season. The household rating ranked first overall in its time slot across all entertainment programs, dramas, and educational shows.

On that day, MCs Yoo Jae-suk and Yoo Yeon-seok visited Seoul's Gwangjin District with guests Cha Taehyun and Jin Ki-ju. Appearing as the official lucky charm of "Whenever There's a Gap," Cha Taehyun brought laughter from the start. He remarked, "When I received the casting call, the PD told me I was like a lucky amulet. I'm the pig's head of 'Whenever There's a Gap,'" setting an energetic tone right away.

Then Cha Taehyun said, "(Jin) Ki-ju's former So Sok-sa (CEO) is Jo In-sung's manager, so our agency connection brought us together. Is this really such good luck?" as he celebrated himself. Soon, his fellow actor Jin Ki-ju became so talkative that she couldn't stop speaking, prompting Yoo Jae-suk to shout, "Let's hear what Ki-ju has to say! Ki-ju, your boss needs some serious correction!" causing uproarious laughter.

Meanwhile, Cha Taehyun also showcased his role as the original 'reverse spatula' alongside Yoo Jae-suk. When Yoo Yeon-seok praised both Yoo Jae-suk and Cha Taehyun by saying, "Comedy acting is really hard, but you guys manage to do it," Cha Taehyun sharply drew a line between them: "We shouldn't be compared. He just does things randomly; I analyze systematically." This made Yoo Jae-suk react indignantly. When Yoo Jae-suk countered, "Aren't I the one analyzing and you the one doing things randomly?" Cha Taehyun simply replied with a cheeky, "That's nonsense~"

Among them, the first "Gap Owner" visited by Yoo Jae-suk, Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Taehyun, and Jin Ki-ju was the pickleball team "Chillae Mallae." Though they play pickleball together every week, their unique relationship—maintaining a slightly awkward distance—provided delightful humor.

The Gap Game designed to support their camaraderie involved passing a pickleball back and forth and scoring it into the goal in one touch—"One-Touch Pickleball." The four displayed unexpected teamwork, quickly succeeding in just four attempts through Levels 1 and 2, causing the pickleball team members to embrace each other. Just as Cha Taehyun muttered, "Shouldn't we raise the difficulty?" they began making repeated mistakes from Level 3 onward and even drew an "Unlucky Chance," putting them in a crisis.

However, on their final attempt, Yoo Jae-suk miraculously succeeded at Level 3 with one powerful shot, turning the scene upside down. The Gap Owner, receiving the dinner expense prize for Level 3, expressed joyfully, "I hope our team stays together for a long time," creating a heartwarming moment. Jin Ki-ju, overwhelmed by over-immersion, said, "I don't even remember what just happened," appearing completely drained.

Next, the four met their second Gap Owners: four nine-year-old children from Gwangjin Elementary School. As devoted fans of "Whenever There's a Gap," they honestly confessed, "We dreamed of receiving Nintendo gifts on 'Whenever There's a Gap,'" bringing smiles to Yoo Jae-suk, Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Taehyun, and Jin Ki-ju.

The second game, designed to protect the children's innocence, was called "Attach It, Chak." Each person would hit a magnet onto a marble to succeed. Yoo Jae-suk briefly worried about the show's child-related jinx, but they quickly succeeded in Level 2 in just two attempts. Even more surprisingly, a Nintendo appeared as the Level 3 prize, sending the children into a frenzy of excitement. At that moment, an unexpected obstacle arose: the magnets repelled each other. As the children earnestly whispered their hopes for success with every attempt, Jin Ki-ju awkwardly asked, "Was there chaos behind us?" eliciting laughter.

Ultimately, the four successfully completed Level 3 on their fourth attempt, achieving a perfect ending. Yoo Jae-suk remarked, "Even Santa Claus couldn't give gifts like this," before turning to Cha Taehyun and saying, "Thank you to our 'Whenever There's a Gap' head-brain, Cha Taehyun." In response, Cha Taehyun joked, "How far should my 'head-brain' performance go?" keeping the laughter going until the very end.

Meanwhile, the preview for next week, released at the end of the broadcast, featured actors Hyun Bin and Woo Do-hwan, raising anticipation. In the preview, Hyun Bin trembled while stacking bolts and said, "I hate the sound of challenges," showing a surprisingly nervous side that drew laughter. Finally, Yoo Jae-suk exclaimed, "Hyun Bin's hands are sweating!" startling everyone and adding to the mystery as the episode concluded.

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*This content was translated by AI.