[Sportschosun Kim Sohee] Park Seo Jin of “Mr. House Husband” delivered a moving tribute as he reflected on the meaning of National Liberation Day of Korea.
In the episode of KBS 2TV’s “Mr. House Husband” aired on the 15th, Hwanhee appeared as a special guest with the “Mr. House Husband family.” Park Seo Jin marked the holiday by running 8.15 km along the footsteps of independence activists, while Hwanhee and his mother shared a family story that helped them better understand one another through Lee Jang-woo. The episode recorded a nationwide rating of 3.9 percent, according to Nielsen Korea. The highest rating of the day, 4.5 percent, came from Hwanhee cooking abalone with Lee Jang-woo, who took great care of Hwanhee’s mother.
At the opening, Hwanhee drew laughter when asked how people around him reacted after he appeared on “Mr. House Husband.” He replied, “My mother is so popular that she hides herself. If filming is delayed even a little, she asks, ‘Aren’t you filming? When are you filming?'” When Park Seo Jin teased him after hearing that he had been taking on many event appearances since joining the show, Hwanhee mentioned the Jinan Red Ginseng Festival. Park Seo Jin then groaned, saying, “That was the event I went to,” and burst out laughing again as his fate once more seemed to have been switched, following the Chunhyang Festival incident.
The following VCR segment showed Park Seo Jin and his younger brother Hyojeong taking on a meaningful challenge by running 8.15 km along the path of independence activists for National Liberation Day of Korea. Starting their run at Tapgol Park, Park Seo Jin said, “I recently started painting Minhwa, and as ‘Minhwa Park,’ I became interested in history. Today, I want to run hard and learn more about history too.”
Their special running mate was history storyteller Sun Kim. To mark National Liberation Day of Korea, he designed the 8.15 km course so they could physically follow the path of the independence movement and reflect on its meaning. At the starting point, Tapgol Park, he opened the history-themed run by talking about Palgakjeong Pavilion, the starting point of the March First Movement, and about independence activist Jung Jae-yong, who read the March First Independence Declaration there. Park Seo Jin said, “Now that I know the history and look at it again, it feels truly meaningful and much more moving,” expressing deep emotion at encountering history firsthand.
The three then continued their run and reached their second destination, Seodaemun Prison, after about 3.5 km. There, Park Seo Jin came face to face with prisoner records, shackles, and the harsh prison cells used during the Japanese colonial period, and he was enraged by the brutality of Japanese rule. Stories of many independence activists followed, including those imprisoned at a young age, patriot Kang Ugyu, who joined the independence movement even at 65, and Yu Gwan-sun, leaving a powerful impression.
Sun Kim emphasized, “Because these people existed, we are able to enjoy this freedom and prosperity,” adding, “There are many independence activists we remember by name, but we must also remember the countless unnamed activists who were there as well.”
After reflecting on the painful history of the independence movement, they started running again and finally completed the 8.15 km course. Their final destination was the Kim Koo Museum & Library, where they could look back on the life of Kim Gu, who marked the 150th anniversary of his birth this year.
Park Seo Jin and Hyojeong examined Kim Gu’s life through Baekbeom Ilji, tracing how he rose from an ordinary beginning to become an independence activist. Sun Kim added meaning by sharing not only Kim Gu’s story but also the stories of his wife, Ch’oe Chunrye, and their sons, who all walked the path of the independence movement together. Hyojeong said, “I didn’t know it went this deep, so it feels new,” while Park Seo Jin said, “It was truly a meaningful time,” reflecting on the special run.
Park Seo Jin’s National Liberation Day schedule did not end with finishing 8.15 km. He went beyond learning history and put his gratitude into action by visiting a restaurant run by a descendant of a person honored for independence service. In the spirit of National Liberation Day of Korea, Park Seo Jin ordered 815,000 won worth of food in a show of support, and he even invited middle school ssireum team athletes to share the special meal.
Once the meal began, Hyojeong, known for his competitive appetite, was fired up after seeing the growing athletes eat with impressive enthusiasm. He went head-to-head with them in a lively eating contest, but soon complained that he was too full, drawing laughter. He even went on a second run to help digest the food before returning to the table and continuing to eat, adding to the cheerful atmosphere.
As a result, they surpassed the target amount and successfully completed the support campaign. Park Seo Jin said, “I was glad to be able to do something for the young athletes, and above all, I was happy that we started this on National Liberation Day at a restaurant run by a descendant of a national meritorious family. Remembering history is important, but when I put my gratitude into action, I realized once again that even a small effort can be meaningful.” By following the footsteps of independence activists, reflecting on history, and turning gratitude into sharing, Park Seo Jin’s meaningful National Liberation Day left a deep impression on viewers at home.
Hwanhee then revealed a special day spent with his cousin, actor Lee Jang-woo. After visiting Hwanhee’s home, Lee Jang-woo said, “I watched ‘Mr. House Husband,’ and there are a lot of problems. Why are you treating your aunt like that?” He then explained why he had come, saying, “My older brother was always such a tough guy even when he was young. I got angry seeing how harshly he treated my aunt. Since I am the youngest in the family, I grew up being affectionate, and I came to show him how he should treat her.”
During the conversation, the topic of Hwanhee’s marriage also came up. Lee Jang-woo offered to introduce him to a friend of his wife, born in 1994, and tried to set them up on the spot. Hwanhee, mindful of the 12-year age gap, hesitated and said, “Then I guess I would have to leave the show after getting criticized a lot.” Lee Jang-woo laughed and tried to persuade him, saying, “My parents have a 20-year age gap.”
Lee Yo-won then asked Hwanhee whether he was thinking about marriage, and he answered, “It would be a lie to say no.” When Eun Ji-won asked why he wanted to get married, Hwanhee honestly shared his feelings, saying, “Honestly, when people ask whether someone my age has gotten married, I think saying, ‘I went through some circumstances and came back,’ feels better than saying I couldn’t get married.”
Later, Lee Jang-woo shared memories of his aunt, who had cared for him closely when he was young, showing a warm side that felt almost like that of a mother and son. In particular, when Lee Jang-woo suggested, “I want to take my aunt out today. There are some great places nearby,” and his mother immediately agreed to go out, Hwanhee felt jealous and said, “The mother I know would only go if someone kept persuading her. I’m disappointed.”
Even during the trip, his mother’s affection for Lee Jang-woo continued. Hwanhee could not hide his disappointment as she kept looking after her nephew, from snacks to herbal medicine. Lee Jang-woo then prepared a flower outing for his aunt, who loves flowers, and thoughtfully brought a parasol, a handheld fan, and ice water. Hwanhee’s mother linked arms with her nephew and joked, “I should tell Jang-woo’s mother to switch sons with me,” drawing laughter.
After the flower outing, the three headed to a glamping site. Lee Jang-woo prepared a lavish table with abalone dishes, including abalone porridge, abalone salad, and grilled abalone, using abalone he had prepared from early morning for his aunt. He also showed his thoughtfulness by bringing a hula hoop, something his aunt enjoys using. Hwanhee also made an effort to get closer to his mother by learning to cook directly from Lee Jang-woo.
Their meal also led to sincere family conversations. Lee Jang-woo said, “When I was young and saw my aunt, she always felt like my mother. She never once said anything harsh to me,” expressing his deep affection. He then spoke honestly about Hwanhee. Lee Jang-woo said, “While watching ‘Mr. House Husband,’ I saw my brother crying bitterly. To me, he is a big star. Because of him, our family became happy, and I often thought I wanted to become a cool person like him.” He confessed that he had admired Hwanhee since childhood. He added, “It was the first time I had ever seen my always-strong brother cry, and even my mother cried when she saw it,” making the moment even more touching.
As they shared their true feelings for one another, the conversation naturally deepened into family matters. Thinking of his grandmother, who recently passed away, Lee Jang-woo also carefully considered his aunt’s feelings, while Hwanhee’s mother said, “I am grateful to my son, and I am truly grateful to Jang-woo. There has never been such a happy occasion,” expressing her overwhelming emotions. Hwanhee also showed a changed side of himself by saying he wanted to prepare a “Hwanhee tour” for his mother and family.
That day, “Mr. House Husband” delivered both laughter and emotion by showing Park Seo Jin’s meaningful challenge of running along the footsteps of independence activists and turning gratitude into action on National Liberation Day of Korea, as well as Hwanhee’s daily life as he grew closer to his mother after discovering a new side of her through Lee Jang-woo.
Meanwhile, KBS 2TV’s “Mr. House Husband” airs every Saturday at 9:20 p.m.
Kim Sohee yaqqol@sportschosun.com
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