[Photo&] Catching “Running Man”… MBC “The Best San” Production Press Conference on Location Led by Heo Kyung-hwan

‘MBC’’s new real-variety ‘The Best San’ announced that it would set sail in earnest, aiming for regular scheduling and the year-end grand prize for ‘Grand Excellence Award’. Broadcaster ‘Heo Kyung-hwan’ said at the production press conference held on the 28th, “The three major broadcasters swept the Excellence Awards, but the first glory of the ‘Grand Excellence Award’ will be taken by ‘MBC’—I will make sure of it,” expressing unwavering determination. Even though it starts as a five-part pilot, the strong confidence that it will secure regular scheduling based on overwhelming buzz really stands out.

‘The Best San’ is a real variety in which five veteran entertainment figures—Yoo Se-yoon, Jang Dong-min, Yang Se-hyung, Boom, and Heo Kyung-hwan—go up a mountain together. The director, Kim Myung-yeop PD, said, “We chose the mountain because we believe the biggest laughter for viewers comes from seeing celebrities struggle,” adding, “Climbing is just an excuse; the core of the program is the perfect chemistry and the chaotic talk from the five members.”

Originally, the program was planned around the male candidates for ‘MBC Broadcasting & Entertainment Awards’ ’s Grand Excellence Award last year, but Heo Kyung-hwan ended up filling the empty spot when Haha couldn’t join due to the filming schedule for SBS’s ‘Running Man’ airing in the same time slot.

Regarding the reason he booked Heo Kyung-hwan, PD Kim said, “It was a kind of low-price buy I’d been keeping an eye on since the time I was directing ‘Radio Star’.” He then praised him, saying, “With everything—physical endurance, wit, and the buzz he’s had recently—Heo Kyung-hwan will play a key role in our program, like DEX in MBC ‘Taege Illju’.” In response, Heo Kyung-hwan also showed his loyalty, saying he would stay with ‘The Best San’, even if other marquee variety programs sent love calls.

Members boasting a combined total of 100 years of broadcasting experience even at the production press conference kept bickering nonstop and showed their special kind of chemistry. Jang Dong-min said, “Even if my condition isn’t great, I have unwavering faith that my fellow members will perfectly fill the airtime,” and Boom added, “I hope the positive energy generated by same-age friends born in the 1980s will be delivered all the way to the living-room audience.”

The target of ‘The Best San’, which launches on the 3rd of next month, is ‘Running Man’, a powerhouse in the same time slot, and ‘Two Days & One Night’. The strategy is to secure regular scheduling with breaking through 2% viewership ratings on the first round as the initial goal. In particular, ‘Yang Se-hyung’ set the tone with a warning of a head-on showdown with his younger brother ‘Yang Se-chan’. ‘MBC’’s new savior—whether it can change the paradigm of weekend variety—will be something to watch. Yang Se-hyung said, “Se-chan, he’s Se-chan—he’s the older brother,” sending a fun declaration that raised expectations for the broadcast even higher.