<WK Column> What is the difference between ”So-jin's House 2” and the previous work? Why is it compared to the rival program ”My Name is Gabriel”?

The tvN variety 'So-jin's House 2', which returned for a new season, started on the 28th June (Friday). This season, actress Koh Min-shi is a new addition as an intern, replacing 'BTS' V, who is currently enlisted in the army. The stage was also moved from hot Mexico to cold Iceland.

The menu has also changed to traditional Korean dishes such as gomtang (beef bone soup). The reason for the gomtang seems to have been inspired by a comment Lee So-jin casually made 10 years ago when she cooked gomtang in the 'Three Meals and a Meal' series, when she thought it was so good that she said, "Maybe I'll open a gomtang restaurant", and this season it will finally be realised as a "promise fulfilment project"! This season seems to be a "promise fulfilment project" that finally comes to fruition.

In the first episode, the scene where V sends a message to an intern he hasn't seen yet 10 days before his enlistment, the first meeting between the members and Koh Min-hsi, and their first day in Iceland, where they learn to cook and get ready for their first day in the country, were all depicted.

Koh Min-shi, who is already expected to play a big role as a 'work-ready' intern, has worked with Jung Yoo-mi in the drama 'Live - You are the reason for living' and with Choi Woo-shik in the film 'The Witch'. Although she had never met Lee So-jin and Park So-joon before, they both know how hard this show is, and I was impressed by their kind and caring attitude towards Ko Min-see, asking her not to push herself too hard and being concerned about her physical condition.

Also, this season, led by president Lee So-jin, Jung Yoo-mi was promoted to managing director, Park So-joon to managing director and Choi Woo-shik to deputy. A new system has been introduced for management, with the 'chef of the day' in charge of the kitchen changing every day. On the first day, Choi Woo-shik was nominated by Lee Seo-jin to be in charge. The chef of the day is chosen by Lee Seo-jin, and he is in charge of the kitchen on the first day.

However, as soon as they opened the restaurant on the first day, they suddenly faced an unexpected (⁉) situation where six customers arrived, and the first episode ended with the members scrambling. The first episode was just under two hours long, but the episode was so packed with episodes that it seemed to finish in the blink of an eye.

The ratings for the first broadcast were 6.9% (Nielsen Korea, national basis). The first episode of season 1 had a rating of 8.8%, so although the ratings were down compared to the first episode, Korean news articles reported that the show was off to a good start.

This may be due in no small part to the fact that JTBC's My name is Gabriel is being broadcast in the background. My name is Gabriel' is a new variety show starring Park Bo Gum and Ji Chang Wook, and will start on the 21st June, one week earlier than 'So-jin's House 2'.

The show is directed by MBC's 'Infinite Challenge' and 'What would you do if you were filming?' He and Na Yong-seok, the PD of 'So-jin's House 2', are often compared as rivals, and are known as two of the biggest stars in the PD world.

The two are set to go head-to-head in Friday primetime, so it is hard not to pay attention to them. My name is Gabriel started with 1.5% in the first episode, which dropped to 1.1% in the second episode when it went head-to-head with So-jin's House 2. A small difference, but a large gap, and since 'So-jin's House 2' started, it may be that PD Na Yong-seok's overwhelming victory is firstly rated as a strong start. Either way, the army was first in favour of 'So-jin's House 2', which is back in its regular Friday night slot and can be watched with ease, rather than the unfamiliar format of 'My name is Gabriel'.