SBS variety show 'Whenever Possible' hits 6% peak viewership

The SBS variety show 'Whenever Possible' achieved a 6% peak viewership during its October 27 broadcast in Nowon-gu, Seoul, marking its 11th consecutive week as the top-rated program in its time slot.

Tuesday, October 27, 9:00 PM broadcast

Yoo Yeon-seok, known as "Rita's Dad," succeeded in a miraculous "one shot, three hits" mission to win a large gift of treats and fleece for a group of dogs on the SBS variety show 'Whenever Possible.'

The episode aired on Tuesday, October 27, recorded a peak viewership of 6% and a household rating of 4.3%, marking its 11th consecutive week as the top-rated variety and documentary program in its time slot. Additionally, it achieved a 1.4% rating in the 2049 demographic, proving itself as the strongest Tuesday variety program (based on Nielsen Korea data for the Seoul metropolitan area).

'Whenever Possible' (directed by Choi Bo-pil, written by Chae Jin-a) is a "niche targeting" variety show that gifts luck during the brief gaps of time encountered in daily life. In the broadcast on the 27th, guests Seo Hyun-jin and Lee Chun-hee joined main MCs Yoo Jae-suk and Yoo Yeon-seok to fill the "gap time" in Nowon-gu, Seoul.

The episode drew attention as Yoo Jae-suk and Lee Chun-hee reunited on a variety show for the first time in 16 years. When Lee Chun-hee expressed disappointment, noting that he had asked Yoo Jae-suk to visit his studio for over ten years but he never came, Yoo Jae-suk jokingly replied, "I'll go next year." Lee Chun-hee added a humorous twist, revealing he had actually left his job last year and would be going to visit Yoo Jae-suk together soon.

The chemistry between the cast grew as Seo Hyun-jin and Lee Chun-hee exposed Yoo Yeon-seok's daily life as a gaming addict. Seo Hyun-jin testified to his love for games, noting he constantly initiates game bets during filming. Lee Chun-hee added to the laughter, remarking that during company dinners, people avoid drinking because of Yoo Yeon-seok's intense competitive spirit during games.

The first "gap owners" (guests) were a mother and son running a pharmacy. The duo shared their joys and sorrows of working together as colleagues. They offered high praise throughout the session, stating that Yoo Jae-suk and Oh Eun-young should be designated as national treasures.

The first game, "Medicine Bottle Bowling," required participants to use tongue depressors to bounce a ping-pong ball and knock down medicine bottles. Lee Chun-hee utilized his skills as a carpenter to "tune" the tongue depressor to aid the mission. While the high difficulty caused everyone to struggle, Yoo Jae-suk turned the mood around by scoring a strike in just two attempts. Despite obstacles caused by fallen bottles in the second stage, Yoo Jae-suk completed the comeback by succeeding in the final challenge. Yoo Jae-suk expressed pride, saying, "The combination was amazing," while Seo Hyun-jin remarked on his sportsman-like qualities, saying, "Seeing him in person, he's like an athlete. A halo shines behind him."

Seo Hyun-jin also shared anecdotes about her filming history with Yoo Yeon-seok, noting they had previously worked together on the drama 'Dr. Romantic.' Yoo Yeon-seok remarked that because they had worked together once before, the filming was very enjoyable.

The show surprised viewers with its second set of "gap owners": a group of dogs, marking the first time in the show's history. These dogs were part of a "puppy walking" program used to train guide dogs for people with a visual impairment.

The second game, "Frisbee Shoots," involved throwing a disc to hit cones. Yoo Yeon-seok showed great determination to succeed for the retrievers, who rushed toward the treat cart. Lee Chun-hee successfully hit a cone on his second attempt. As the difficulty increased with three cones in the second stage, the retrievers watched the game with pleading eyes, mistaking the frisbee throwing for play. Yoo Yeon-seok was moved by their eyes, saying, "We have to give it to the kids. Look at those eyes." Ultimately, Yoo Yeon-seok completed a dramatic comeback by succeeding in the second stage with a "one shot, three hits" move on his seventh attempt. When the owners called "stop" to claim the treats and fleece, Seo Hyun-jin remarked, "That is a wonderful choice." The four participants then enjoyed a healing snack time with the retrievers.

Following the 11th episode, various online communities and social media sites showed enthusiastic reactions to the teamwork of Yoo Jae-suk, Yoo Yeon-seok, Seo Hyun-jin, and Lee Chun-hee, as well as the cuteness of the retrievers.

'Whenever Possible,' a variety show where Yoo Jae-suk and Yoo Yeon-seok gift luck during brief moments of daily life, airs every Tuesday at 9:00 PM on SBS.

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