Producer Taegye Iljoo 4 says this season is especially fun. He seems to have been touched by Gian84's sincerity

Jun 27, 2025

 Producer Taegye Iljoo 4 says this season is especially fun. He seems to have been touched by Gian84's sincerity
Photo courtesy=MBC



Since MBC's representative entertainment has been born, the long journey of around the world 4 ('Taegye Ilju 4') will come to an end.

The journey, which continues along the alpine trade route 'Chamago' from the Nepal Himalayas to Yunnan, China, will conclude with the 8th episode, which will air on June 29 (Sun). Gian 84, Pani Bottle, Lee Si-eon, Dex?This season, which the four wrote together, left a deep resonance as a human narrative that combines friendship, challenge, and survival beyond simple entertainment.

Gian84's Sherpa experience, Dex's breakthrough in Gurkha training, Panibotl's exhaustion fighting spirit, and Lee Si-eon's Dum & Derm moment. Their alpine journey was sometimes desperate and sometimes pleasant, giving them an intense immersion that broke down the boundaries between documentaries and entertainment.




'Gipashidek' The Death Penalty's chemistry was the most powerful weapon of season four. Beyond the integration of the worldview of seasons 1 to 3, the four people have been reborn as "real brothers" with tears and smiles like a family. Viewers experienced their bickering bromance, passionate dissension, and tearful separation together. It was a rollercoaster of emotions in itself.

This season was the center of attention from the beginning to the end of the season. From the first broadcast, it made a pleasant start by recording the highest ratings throughout the series, and since then, it has proved its box office potential in many ways with the No. 1 OTT and TV integration and high ratings. Immediately after each episode's broadcast, the portal, community, and SNS were heated, further solidifying their position as a `trusted and watched entertainment.'

MBC producer Kim Ji-woo, who has pursued the unprecedented concept of `unplanned close proximity to the local area' for four seasons, drew the sincerity of human beings in an unfamiliar world. Sometimes he watched the cast members from afar, and sometimes in the midst of tears and confusion, he completed a Life Record that goes beyond mere entertainment through Taegye Ilju. And now, the back story of producer Kim Ji-woo, who finished another season with the end of "Taegye Ilju 4" unfolds.




 Producer Taegye Iljoo 4 says this season is especially fun. He seems to have been touched by Gian84's sincerity
Photo courtesy=MBC
The following is the full text of PD Kim Ji-woo's question and answer

▶Season 4 General Review

1. Season 4, how is it memorable as a director?




I think this journey is a season where 'fun of hard work' has exploded more than ever. From the beginning, it seems that the raw hardships shown by the four brothers from Nepal, from the Himalayan Sherpa village to the Gurkha academy to the Nashi village, returned with fun such as adventure, romance, and friendship.

2. Why did you choose 'Chamago' as your destination?

'Chamado' is one of the oldest trade routes in the world and a glimpse into the primitive lives of people who have been based on rugged alpine areas for thousands of years. Like the motto of our series, 'Travel to places you want to visit before you die', I thought this place, which is more special because it is not easy to reach, would stimulate the curiosity of the four brothers.

3. Why did you decide on the theme of 'mountain' this time? [c.f. 'Full (Amazon)','Bull (India)','Water (Madagascar)']

I've visited the highlands before in previous seasons, but I've never addressed 'mountain' itself. One day, I really wanted to include the stories of those living in the 'Taegye Ilju' using the 'mountain' as their base of life. Through this season, we were able to show our viewers the majestic nature and culture of the Himalayas and Chama.

 Producer Taegye Iljoo 4 says this season is especially fun. He seems to have been touched by Gian84's sincerity
Photo courtesy=MBC
 Producer Taegye Iljoo 4 says this season is especially fun. He seems to have been touched by Gian84's sincerity
Photo courtesy=MBC
 Producer Taegye Iljoo 4 says this season is especially fun. He seems to have been touched by Gian84's sincerity
Photo courtesy=MBC


▶Chemistry of cast members

4. How do you think the chemistry of the members of 'Gipashidek' has changed in this season?

It was a season where the members got closer than any other season. If the previous season was the process of getting to know each other and getting close to each other, I think this season was a season in which 'the death penalty became a real family' showed 'true chemistry' together in a difficult environment.

5. What was your most impressive moment as a director?

The dawn 'Dokorun' training at the Gurkha Training Center in Nepal is the most memorable. It was an extreme exercise in which you had to run with a 15kg bag on your head. Even though everyone must have been exhausted by a series of forced troops, everyone encouraged each other without complaining and finally completed it. At that moment, I felt a touching feeling that 'we're finally doing it together.

6. How did you accept unexpected situations?

I think the beauty of travel is also unpredictable. When Pani Bottle was struggling with poor condition at the beginning of the trip, all of the production team was worried and watched the situation closely. But fortunately, I recovered quickly and thank you for helping me take care of my brothers in the form of a 'Dden Bottle'.

On the other hand, 'Confession of Love' was also completely unexpected by the production team, but it was impressive to see him admit it honestly and confidently like 'Manly'. In addition, I was curious about the reason why I've become handsome recently, but I think the clue has been solved cheerfully.

 Producer Taegye Iljoo 4 says this season is especially fun. He seems to have been touched by Gian84's sincerity
Photo courtesy=MBC
 Producer Taegye Iljoo 4 says this season is especially fun. He seems to have been touched by Gian84's sincerity
Photo courtesy=MBC
 Producer Taegye Iljoo 4 says this season is especially fun. He seems to have been touched by Gian84's sincerity
Photo courtesy=MBC
 Producer Taegye Iljoo 4 says this season is especially fun. He seems to have been touched by Gian84's sincerity
Photo courtesy=MBC
▶Production difficulty and behind-the-scenes

7. ? What was the most difficult moment in the production process this season?

The Himalayan Sherpa village, which was the first journey, was the most difficult. As it is the starting point of the Everest tracking course, it is notorious for being the most rugged place even within the Himalayas, so all the crew members screamed in their hearts and climbed the mountain. In particular, camera directors, who always have to carry heavy equipment, have traveled around the world together, but have been on the verge of exhaustion this season, and some have stopped by hospitals to get painless injections.

To make matters worse, the variable of bad weather has been added. The weather conditions were bad, so I moved by helicopter, but there was a situation where even that helicopter could not float properly. The first helicopter, part of the plane, bound for the town of Lukla, was canceled, preventing some of the crew from joining, and had to film with a smaller crew.

8. What was the most memorable scene of Gian84's adaptability?

This season, even though I had an experience of carrying my luggage on my head for three out of five days in Nepal, I thought I was very adaptable to the local area when I saw him enjoying himself without complaining and worrying about a local friend who had to do this as a daily routine.

In India, when a local boatman told me that it was a ritual to bless the mother's river and the sacred place, all the crew watching from afar were surprised when they drank the Ganges River water together without hesitation.

Also in Madagascar, they showed 84 Kian eating shows where they ate raw fish with their bare hands and poured a lot of red pepper paste. At this time, the moment when the local friends who were with them showed their tongue-in-cheek admiration showed the adaptability of Gian84 'more like a local than a local'.

9. What preparations and concerns did you have for this season's minority approach?

In the case of 'Chamago', I think we could see people living there through a famous documentary of the same name. 'Taegye Ilju' is a travel entertainment show, but I think I refer to 'Documentary' a lot because I try to capture the lives of people living in that area deeply.

 Producer Taegye Iljoo 4 says this season is especially fun. He seems to have been touched by Gian84's sincerity
Photo courtesy=MBC
 Producer Taegye Iljoo 4 says this season is especially fun. He seems to have been touched by Gian84's sincerity
Photo courtesy=MBC
▶ Reaction and performance

10. The ratings and buzz were evenly well received. What do you think is the reason?

We were also surprised to see a lot of responses that this season was especially fun. In fact, I'm in the middle of my fifth season, including the spin-off, and I was proud and grateful for the response that 'The fifth is the most fun'. Looking at the chemistry of the four of us who got closer than any other season, honest and comfortable feelings in it, I want to travel together' seems to feel the emotion. In addition, it seems that they are impressed and liked by Gian84's authentic appearance of hanging out with locals without prejudice and accepting culture without prejudice.

11. When was the most popular moment among viewers?

The first episode of meeting a Sherpa boy in the Himalayas and the death penalty's performance at the Gurkha training center seem to have received the most attention. Everyone had a harder time than expected, but I think they liked it a lot more than expected

12. There was a message from Gian84 saying 'last trip', is the season 5 possibility completely closed?

I am well aware of the aspirations of viewers who want next season. However, I'm sorry because there is no new part planned right now. However, as Sieon said 'AND, not END', I think if we wait a little longer, we may have a chance to meet our viewers in some form.





rightlight@sportschosun.com