The MC who cries a lot...Choi Soo-jong, who replaces Choi Bul-am, is eager to serve Korean meals (Roundup)

By Soyoon, Ahn

Apr 10, 2025

The MC who cries a lot...Choi Soo-jong, who replaces Choi Bul-am, is eager to serve Korean meals (Roundup)



Actor Choi Soo-jong continues the history of the `Korean Table' as a successor to Choi Bul-am.

The 700th & new presenter press conference for KBS1 'Korean Table' was held at KBS New Hall in Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul on the morning of the 10th. Actor Choi Soo-jong, producer Lim Ki-soon, and writer Jeon Sun-ae attended the scene.

Starting with its first broadcast in January 2011, 'Korean Table' has traveled all over the country for the past 14 years and three months to unravel the lives and culture of Koreans on the table. Beyond simple food programs, it has served as a 'taste memory store' that records the culture, history, and stories of local communities contained in one meal and contains memories and longing.




The MC who cries a lot...Choi Soo-jong, who replaces Choi Bul-am, is eager to serve Korean meals (Roundup)
Photo courtesy=KBS
Among them, Choi Bul-am, a presenter, left viewers with regret by announcing the news of his departure from 'Korean Table' for the first time in 14 years. Producer Lim said "Choi Bul-am has devoted himself to traveling every week for the past 14 years. He also had a deep passion, affection, and a sense of mission for the program. He also said that finding the roots and origin of our culture are not only for broadcasting, but only when they are based on them can the community be maintained stably."

About Choi Bul-am's departure process "The senior took a three-month break around the fall of last year, and I think it was probably his first break in 14 years. Thankfully, many celebrities filled the place with respect for Choi Bul-am. "Choi Bul-am strongly expressed his intention to the production team that he wanted to hand over the long-standing table story to his junior around mid-January this year. The senior was a symbol of the `Korean table.' When you said it was time to step down, the production team couldn't accept it. I've never imagined an empty space in a program where my senior is not present, but I decided that it would be the greed of the production team to ask for him any more, so I decided to make Choi Soo-jong the replacement presenter. "

Choi Bul-am was also happy when he heard that actor Choi Soo-jong had joined as a successor presenter. He thanked Choi Soo-jong for his support, saying, `I hope you deliver our deep and deep taste well.'




The MC who cries a lot...Choi Soo-jong, who replaces Choi Bul-am, is eager to serve Korean meals (Roundup)
Photo courtesy=KBS
Choi Soo-jong will take over MC Choi Bul-am's baton and share the long journey with 'Korean rice'. Producer Lim Ki-soon said, `The production team also had deep concerns about who should go to the next presenter as the reason for selecting Choi Soo-jong as the new presenter. The most important thing as a presenter was to be a person with a high public recognition that anyone, regardless of gender or age, could welcome. I also thought it would be nice to be a person who can express warmth and blend well with many people on the set and maintain a good relationship. Finally, he had to be a healthy person who could understand the identity, meaning, and record and value of food culture brought by the `Korean Table' with his heart and convey it to the viewers with his heartAs you all know, Choi Soo-jong is an actor that even elementary school students know and is a symbol of KBS's epic drama. Earlier, if Choi Bul-am had established a solid foundation with the current, actor Choi Soo-jong's image as a national husband was a big advantage" he said.

Choi Soo-jong, the new presenter, could not easily accept the offer when he first received it from the production team. In the process of thinking, I had a lot of conversations with Ha Hee-ra, and I also talked to Choi Bul-am on the phone for more than an hour. The teacher told me about the sense of duty and responsibility to keep as a presenter, and taught me the personality, filming method, strengths and weaknesses of each of the production team. I put all of this in my heart and worked on the shoot with a bright heart."

In particular, the advice of Ko Doo-sim, a senior actor, was very helpful in approving the presenter's proposal. Choi Soo-jong "I understand the burden of Mr. Soo-jong, but I hope you can sympathize with each other like your life, listen to other people's stories, and feel joy and pain together," said Ko Du-sim. I'm carefully following Choi Bul-am because I'm afraid I'll step on his shadow. I can't change it perfectly from the beginning, but I'll film one by one so that the 'Korean Table' can be Choi Soo-jong," he said.




The MC who cries a lot...Choi Soo-jong, who replaces Choi Bul-am, is eager to serve Korean meals (Roundup)
Provided by Im Ki-soon, PD Jeon Seon-ae, Choi Soo-jong (from left) Photo =KBS
Finally, the writer Jeon said ahead of the 700th episode, "The 700th special is also meaningful, but it contains the content of a new beginning." I want to show you something different from the format I've been doing so far,' he said, asking for a lot of interest and expectation.

Choi Soo-jong, who has finished filming a total of four times since joining as a presenter, also said "I'm happy to see Choi Soo-jong before I die." When I heard that, I cried a lot at the thought of my parents. Also, 5th grade elementary school students came to me and said, `General Kang Gam-chan, please sign it for me,' and it was so touching. I'm grateful that there are people who welcome me wherever I go." "If Choi Bul-am has been looking at me from the perspective of a father or an observer, I want to play various roles as a son, father, uncle, brother, and brother." If Choi Bul-am has been studying for 14 to 15 years, I have a desire to stay healthy and do it longer" he expressed his bold ambition.

Meanwhile, the 700th episode of KBS1 "Korean Table" will air at 7:40 p.m. on the 10th.



antahn22@sportschosun.com