The July 18 broadcast of KBS2’s variety show Mr. Domestic Husband followed Park Seo Jin and her sister Hyo Jung as they took on the famous “National Museum of Korea Costume Challenge.” According to Nielsen Korea, the episode recorded a nationwide rating of 3.1%, marking the show’s third consecutive week in the 3% range. After the broadcast, reactions online were divided, with some viewers arguing that the program had moved away from meaningful entertainment in favor of attention-grabbing gimmicks.
During the episode, the brothers visited the National Museum of Korea, which has become one of the country’s most popular cultural attractions after welcoming more than six million visitors for two consecutive years. Park Seo Jin explained that he had previously been teased by his sister during a training event at the museum and thought that participating in the annual costume challenge would be fun and a playful way to get back at her.
Hyo Jung initially refused to participate, wondering why she should participate in the challenge. However, after learning that the contest offered a prize worth 3 million won, he quickly changed his mind and agreed to participate.
To recreate the famous Joseon-era folk painting Tiger and Magpie, Park Seo Jin transformed his sister into a tiger by dressing her in a bright yellow bodysuit, painting stripes on the dress, and even attaching a homemade tiger tail made from pickled radish. After seeing the final result, he jokingly remarked that the original tiger looked majestic while his sister’s version looked much less impressive.
The brothers then recreated the famous standing Buddha in gilded bronze, covering Hyo Jung in gold-colored fabric and decorating his head with chocolate snacks to resemble the statue. Park Seo Jin praised the overall look and joked that with better graphics, they could have even won the competition.
The drama took another turn when Hyo Jung secretly started eating the chocolate decorations stuck to her head before going out in a one-piece swimsuit to buy more snacks. As curious children and local residents gathered to watch, she admitted she was embarrassed and quickly walked away from the crowd.
After the episode, public reactions were sharply divided. While some viewers appreciated the brothers’ chemistry and comedic energy, others argued that the show had become overly reliant on awkward family skits. Comments on social media included criticisms such as: “Stop building entire shows around celebrity families,” “The concept has gone too far,” “Quality continues to decline” AND “I’m not sure if I’m watching a public broadcaster or someone’s personal YouTube channel.”
Sources: Daum
