‘My Little Old Boy’ has once again discovered a tailored talent. The protagonist is Red Velvet's Joy.
Joy's constant efforts for self-care and her down-to-earth charm have resonated with both the Rainbow members and viewers, evoking admiration. Additionally, the struggles of Jeon Hyun-moo to overcome his laryngitis and his revival through eating gamjatang (potato soup) provided a variety of health information and laughter.
On the broadcast of MBC’s ‘My Little Old Boy’ on the 11th, Joy's daily life in her sixth month of living alone and Jeon Hyun-moo's efforts to overcome severe laryngitis were revealed.
According to Nielsen Korea, the household rating for ‘My Little Old Boy’ aired the previous day was 5.0% in the metropolitan area, ranking first in its time slot and first among Friday entertainment programs. Additionally, the key 2049 rating, a major indicator for advertisers and a measure of channel competitiveness, was 3.3% (metropolitan area), also ranking first in its time slot and among Friday entertainment programs.
The best 1 minute featured Joy, the self-care expert, revealing her guaranteed delicious blood sugar diet menu, which included morning lemon juice, peanut butter, skin-on apples, high-protein soy milk, and cheese, all considering nutrients and glycemic index. This scene attracted attention, leading to a peak rating of 5.9%.
Joy's home, where she has been living alone for six months, offered a stark contrast of comfort and beauty, with a dedicated SNS zone. The SNS zone, decorated with her beloved items and furniture, contrasted with the reality zone filled with everyday necessities, bringing laughter.
Starting with morning stretching, Joy showcased a self-care routine that lasted over three hours, surprising everyone. Her various home care devices demonstrated her prowess as an online shopping master, resonating with Jeon Hyun-moo and Park Na-rae. From skin care to meditation, Joy diligently took care of her body and mind, sharing health information at a rapid pace, which left the Rainbow members in awe, even giving her the nickname ‘Self-Care Expert Joy.’
In particular, Joy expressed, “I really envy those with a naturally thin body. If I could be reborn, I would want to be born with a thin body,” and added, “In my 20s, I think I didn’t take care of myself because I was conscious of others’ opinions. Later, it caused problems. When I shifted my focus from others to self-care for myself, my mental health improved, and my body got better,” honestly sharing her efforts and thoughts in finding a healthy diet method for herself, which resonated with many.
Additionally, a scene was revealed where Joy spent time with her close friend IVE's Rei. Joy shared heartfelt stories with Rei, who opened up about her worries, and their chatting time seemed endless. They filmed the trending ‘Runaway Guinea Challenge’ short-form content and took emotional photos, which brought smiles to viewers. Joy even prepared a gift for Rei, showcasing their warm chemistry.
Joy is finding ways to love and cherish herself. She said, “I still have a lot to learn. Every day feels like the rings of a tree, stacking up and filling me up solidly,” and added, “I believe I shouldn’t stop being interested in and learning about myself. Rather than feeling overwhelmed or burdened, it’s really fun,” smiling. Upon seeing this, Park Na-rae mentioned her own trials and errors, encouraging Joy by saying, “You really love yourself too much,” while Go Seung-hwan shared that he learned various ways to find happiness at home.
Meanwhile, Jeon Hyun-moo's struggles to overcome laryngitis were also revealed. Looking haggard, he lay on the sofa focusing on self-treatment for recovery, feeling deeply that “it’s lonely to be sick alone.” He recharged his energy by reading supportive comments from fans on his SNS posts. After seeing himself in the studio, Jeon Hyun-moo awkwardly smiled, saying, “Of course, the situation is very different now.”
Jeon Hyun-moo, who mentioned that he only ate meal replacements while sick, made a nourishing ramen with vegetables and konjac noodles for recovery, and continued his self-treatment and medication, fighting laryngitis with his own recovery methods. He also found comfort by calling Lee Joo-seung and NCT's Doyoung, where the contrasting advice of needing to eat cold versus warm food brought laughter.
Meanwhile, Lee Joo-seung's warmth, who rushed to pick up Jeon Hyun-moo from the hospital, caught attention. Jeon Hyun-moo was moved by Lee Joo-seung's willingness to come at his request, showing a choked-up expression. Later, it was revealed that he sent a coffee and snack truck to Lee Joo-seung's drama filming site, adding to the warmth.
Thanks to Lee Joo-seung, Jeon Hyun-moo arrived safely at the hospital and felt relieved about his gradually recovering throat condition. He then asked the doctor whether cold or warm food was better for laryngitis, and upon hearing that warm food was recommended, he recalled eating cold ice cream earlier, bursting into a helpless laugh.
After the consultation, Jeon Hyun-moo received IV treatment and appeared more lively. Back home, he devoured a bowl of warm gamjatang, making a full recovery. Go Seung-hwan expressed surprise, saying, “I’ve never seen someone eat that much while sick.” The Rainbow members smiled in relief, seeing Jeon Hyun-moo seemingly back to his healthy self.
[Jin Ju-hee, MK Sports Reporter]
