Key Takeaways
SBS is launching a new talk variety show built around filmmaker Jang Hang-joon and the casting process for a fictional autobiographical film.
The show blends interview, audition, and role-play formats, with Song Eun-i as a producer figure and Kim Poong as an assistant director.
What began as a joke about Jang's name has become the program's core appeal: playful teasing turned into the content itself.
At the production briefing for his new SBS show, filmmaker Jang Hang-joon said the title felt like it was mocking him. He had suggested adding a playful prefix in front of his name, but the final version only amplified the joke.
That attitude captures the project well. The program is built around a fictional search for the lead in Jang's autobiographical film, turning casting conversations into an audition-style variety format.
What makes it more than a simple celebrity talk show is the trio at its center. Jang joins forces with Song Eun-i, a veteran Korean broadcaster and producer, and Kim Poong, a webtoon creator known for offbeat humor, and their chemistry is part of the point.
A title that starts with a joke
Jang first proposed a name that sounded even more self-mocking, but the production team kept the teasing spirit and went with the final title anyway. In practice, the name does more than identify the show. It sets the tone before a single guest appears.
That matters in Korean entertainment, where a title can function like a promise about the style of humor viewers should expect. Here, the program does not hide behind a neutral label. It leans directly into Jang's public image as a director who is comfortable being the butt of the joke.
There is a risk in that strategy. If the content does not match the confidence of the title, the joke can feel thin. But Jang seemed determined not to treat the name as a burden. Instead, he framed the entire project as something easier and more fun because it is shared with trusted collaborators.
Turning casting into entertainment
The show's producer said the idea came from a simple observation: Jang often says casting is the most important part of directing. So why not make the search for actors the very engine of the program? Rather than talking about filmmaking in the abstract, the show tries to dramatize the process of meeting performers and deciding who fits.
That gives the format its unusual shape. It is part talk show, part audition, and part role-play. Guests are not just there to chat. They are drawn into a scenario where they function like candidates, while the hosts guide the encounter as if they were making actual casting decisions.
The first episode features actor Yu Jae-myung and actress Lee Sun-bin. Jang said he expected Yu to seem stern, but found him unexpectedly approachable. He also singled out Jo Jung-suk as a memorable guest, noting that it is not easy for an actor to appear on variety television without a promotional purpose. Jang even said he would like to invite Chun Woo-hee next, because he wants to reveal the more introverted side viewers rarely see.
Song Eun-i and Kim Poong sharpen the chaos
Song Eun-i and Kim Poong are not just sidekicks. Song has previously invested in Jang's film work and takes on a producer-like role here, while Kim Poong serves as an assistant director who pushes the format further into comedy. Their presence keeps the show from becoming a one-man showcase.
Song described herself as a producer who still wants to be known as a comedian, and said her job is to bring out the best stories while maximizing the funny moments. Kim Poong, meanwhile, drew laughter by joking that if ratings go above 3.5 percent, he would strip Jang to the waist and place him in the middle of Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square. The joke underscores the show's willingness to put absurd, over-the-top banter front and center.
There is also a more practical layer to their participation. Song said each episode changes in scenario and target, and that some highlights may even be turned into AI-generated video clips. In other words, the show is not merely trying to entertain live viewers. It is also designed to generate shareable short-form content that can travel beyond the broadcast itself.
Jang still wants to make films
Even with a new variety show underway, Jang stressed that he has not turned away from filmmaking. He said he has already begun preparing his next project and still wants to keep making movies. His baseball analogy made the point clear: what matters is not how many times you won MVP, but whether you stay in the game until the end.
That comment fits his public image. Jang's appeal has always come less from a solemn auteur persona than from his ability to stand slightly aside from it and find the joke in the situation. He does not seem overly attached to the weight of being called a successful director. Instead, he is willing to turn even his own fame into material.
That is why the program feels like more than a celebrity vehicle. It takes one of filmmaking's most important stages, casting, and remakes it as entertainment, then layers on the easy banter of longtime friends. Whether the show lasts will depend on more than ratings. It will depend on whether it can keep turning that mix of teasing, improvisation, and industry ritual into something viewers want to keep watching.
