“16.42 Million Viewers” Director Jang Hang-jun Joins as the New MC of “Happy Together” After Six Years… First Co-Hosting With Yoo Jae-seok

Director Jang Hang-jun, who reached the ranks of a “ten-million director” after reshaping the all-time box-office record and placing No. 2 in Korean film history with the film ‘A Man Who Lives With the King,’ has officially joined KBS’s legendary variety show ‘Happy Together’ as its new MC.

■ The Box-Office Surge Myth—Jang Hang-jun Returns to Variety… Forms an “MC Duo” With Yoo Jae-seok

Director Jang Hang-jun has confirmed his appearance as the main MC of the KBS 2TV variety program ‘Happy Together – Because You’re Not Alone’, set to air for the first time in July. Following the recent blockbuster success of ‘A Man Who Lives With the King,’ which surpassed a cumulative total audience of 16.42 million, he received numerous offers, but his final choice was to team up with the nation’s MC, Yoo Jae-seok.

This will be the first time the two will co-host as MCs on the same program. Having built an unmistakable rapport with Yoo Jae-seok through appearances on ‘Infinite Challenge,’ ‘You Quiz on the Block,’ ‘Pinggyego,’ and more, the official launch of this co-MC duo is being treated as a major event in the variety world.

■ A Signature Variety Show Returns in Six Years… A Major Overhaul Through a “Team-Based Audition”

Kicked off in 2001, ‘Happy Together’ produced a wealth of hit segments, including ‘Song Plate Karaoke Room’ and ‘Late-Night Convenience Store,’ before ending after Season 4 in 2020. For this new season—returning after six years—the show is rolling out a fresh concept, ‘Team-Based Audition’, moving beyond the previous talk-show format in pursuit of sweeping changes.

As the subtitle ‘Because You’re Not Alone’ suggests, the program will aim to connect with viewers through a new kind of variety show that highlights the bonds and growth of teams—not individuals. The production team expects that Director Jang Hang-jun’s trademark wit in conversation and his directing perspective will maximize the tension and fun of this audition format.

■ Can the “Ten Million Director”’s Venture Into Variety Deliver a Ratings Boost?

At this point, the key question is whether Director Jang Hang-jun, who pulled in 16.42 million viewers and left his mark on the Korean film industry, can bring that “ten-million-level” box-office energy to variety as well—beyond his day job. In particular, the synergy with a veteran MC like Yoo Jae-seok is expected to inject fresh momentum into a terrestrial broadcast variety market that has grown stagnant.

KBS’s pride and the return of a signature variety program—together with director Jang Hang-jun, who is drawing attention as a trend-setting filmmaker—‘Happy Together – Because You’re Not Alone,’ is scheduled to air in July.