According to Nielsen Korea on the 17th, the KBS 2TV variety show ‘Salimnam’ recorded a nationwide rating of 4.9% on the 16th. The peak rating reached 5.6% during a scene where Chu Hyuk-jin gave a generous portion of ribs to his younger sister, Hyo-jung.
Singer Brian appeared as a special guest in this episode. During the opening, Brian shared his thoughts on Hwanhee’s daily life on ‘Salimnam,’ saying, “I’ve been imitating Hwanhee’s crying lately,” referring to Hwanhee’s tears when he saw his mother taking a funeral portrait.
Brian perfectly mimicked Hwanhee’s lines and expressions, leaving the studio in laughter. He also added, “Hwanhee, you know I love you, right?” expressing his affection.
The following VCR featured a birthday dinner show for Park Seo-jin’s mother, joined by Yoyomi and Chu Hyuk-jin. Park Seo-jin and Chu Hyuk-jin welcomed the mother, who transformed into the “Queen of Samcheonpo,” with a red carpet. Seeing her husband waiting with a bouquet in the yard, Park Seo-jin’s mother joyfully exclaimed, “This is an unforgettable day.”
Seeing his dressed-up wife, Park Seo-jin’s father shared his heartfelt apology, saying, “While raising children and working on the boat, she had no time to dress up. It made me realize, ‘My wife is beautiful. She must have suffered a lot.'”
While a lavish birthday table was set with seaweed soup and grilled eel prepared by Park Seo-jin and Chu Hyuk-jin, it was the meat gift worth 2 million won brought by Chu Hyuk-jin that captured the mother’s heart.
Park Seo-jin jokingly expressed jealousy, saying, “Mom likes the meat more than when I bought her a house last year.” Chu Hyuk-jin cheekily responded, “My mother and aunt adore Hyo-jung.” This led the mother to suggest, “Should we book a wedding hall and have a formal meeting between the families first?” causing laughter.
Chu Hyuk-jin even brought his own equipment to prepare the ribs. Park Seo-jin’s sister, Hyo-jung, joked, “This man won’t let his wife go hungry. I’ll have to keep an eye on him,” while Yoyomi praised him, saying, “He’s so thoughtful and good at everything.”
In a heartwarming moment, Park Seo-jin went inside alone, calling himself the “True Filial Son,” and secretly made bean noodles (kong-guksu), which are his mother’s favorite.
On the other hand, the ribs prepared by Chu Hyuk-jin took hours to cook, making everyone anxious. Park Seo-jin felt internally grateful to Chu Hyuk-jin for working hard for his family, and the mother, acting as if Chu Hyuk-jin were already part of the family, excitedly said, “I should invite him every year.”
Park Seo-jin’s father encouraged him, saying, “Since we’re at it, Seo-jin, you should try to work things out with Yoyomi,” to which the excited mother added, “A joint wedding would be fine too.”
The father further requested, “Please put a grandson in my arms by the time I have my 80th birthday party.” A flustered Park Seo-jin showed baseless confidence, saying, “I think it’s possible within 8 years,” sparking laughter.
After the satisfying meat party, Chu Hyuk-jin appeared in a sequined outfit with music to liven up the mood. Park Seo-jin’s parents rushed to the stage to dance, turning the scene into a real party.
Yoyomi also gave a celebratory performance. Park Seo-jin turned red and felt shy at Yoyomi’s signature charming voice and cute gestures.
Finally, Park Seo-jin touched everyone by gifting a beautiful scarf to his mother, who recently developed a scar on her neck from surgery. Then, Park Seo-jin’s father surprised everyone by handing over the boat keys, saying, “You met me at 27 and worked on the boat with me for 33 years. We’ve sold the boat so we can live comfortably now. You don’t have to work on the boat anymore.”
Park Seo-jin shared his complex feelings, saying, “It always weighed on my mind that my parents worked on the boat. I wanted them to stop, but now that they actually are, I feel a bit sad.”
Putting their regrets aside, Park Seo-jin’s parents expressed excitement about living on land. To top it off, Park Seo-jin gave his mother her first-ever kiss on the cheek, ending the birthday dinner show happily.
Hwanhee’s mother, who had never traveled in 74 years, entered an airport for the first time, expressing her overwhelming emotions: “I’m a bit nervous and excited. I feel like I might cry.” Hwanhee joked with his mother, who was flying for the first time, saying, “You can’t wear shoes on the plane.” His innocent mother actually tried to take off her shoes before boarding, causing laughter.
After takeoff, Hwanhee’s mother expressed her gratitude, saying, “Thanks to my son and ‘Salimnam,’ I get to fly.” Upon arriving in Jeju, she shed tears, saying, “I thought I’d never be able to go to Jeju in my entire life.”
Feeling sorry for her, Hwanhee shared his wish: “My mom has always lived in tension and cared too much about what others think. I hope this trip becomes an opportunity for her to live more comfortably.”
The emotional moment was briefly interrupted by an argument over a rental car. When his mother suggested taking the bus, saying, “We’ve already spent so much just coming here,” Hwanhee persuaded her, saying, “I’ve already paid for it.”
Hwanhee’s mother was flustered to see that the rental car was a flashy blue sports car, bluntly calling it “delinquent-like.” Despite the comment, Hwanhee drove the open-top car along the scenic coastal road with his mother.
Facing the sea for the first time in 74 years, the mother spoke to the ocean, saying, “Sea, I’m here. I’m Hwanhee’s mom.” As she continued talking to the sea, Hwanhee noted, “It’s the first time I’ve seen my mom talk to herself like that. I’ve never seen her express her emotions so openly.”
Hwanhee then led his mother to a field of yellow canola flowers. Overjoyed, she began talking to the flowers. Watching her, Hwanhee was moved, saying, “My mom is so pure. I think this is the first time I’ve seen her with a girl’s sensibility.” Afterward, Hwanhee’s mother smiled brightly for the camera and took selfies with her son, looking incredibly happy.
During dinner, another crisis hit. For about 10 years, the mother had avoided eating at the same table as her son because she didn’t want to show any unrefined side of herself. This time was no different, as she refused to eat with Hwanhee. They reached a compromise by sitting side-by-side at single-person seats, and the mother constantly checked her appearance in a mirror while eating.
After their meaningful first meal in Jeju, they headed to their accommodation. As they were about to rest, Hwanhee’s mother suddenly complained of stomach pain. Late at night with pharmacies closed, Hwanhee began running all over the neighborhood to find medicine.
Meanwhile, Hwanhee’s mother took out a can of beer and soju from her bag, drank a “somaek” (soju and beer mix), and regained her peace. Hwanhee, who rushed back with digestive medicine from a convenience store, laughed in disbelief after seeing his mother had “digested” her pain with somaek.
