A ‘Manly’ Trip for the Sake of His Family
Kim Jong-kook is stepping into his first overseas travel program since getting married, and he is doing it with a joke that is already meme-worthy. At the online showcase for SBS Plus’s new Korean travel variety Manly Men’s Way of Traveling, he quipped that he went “to a very far place and worked hard” on the show “for the sake of my family,” adding that, like most married men, he would rather clock out and head straight home. The series follows instinct-driven “tough guys” Yoshihiro Akiyama (Choo Sung-hoon), Kim Jong-kook, and Daesung as they compete, bicker, and bond on an overseas travel program packed with bravado and childish antics. Kim’s wife simply told him to travel safely and stay healthy, he shared, underscoring how this new project is being framed as both hard work and family-minded responsibility.
Why Travel Variety Shows Still Dominate K Entertainment Streaming
Korean travel variety has long been a staple, but the format is quietly shifting to suit global streaming habits. Traditional shows leaned on frantic games and food hunts; newer overseas travel programs increasingly foreground personal conversations, culture-focused missions, and slower pacing that allows viewers to feel they are on the road with their idols. A project like Manly Men’s Way of Traveling doubles as a bromance road movie and a character study, letting audiences see how tough-on-camera stars actually cope with exhaustion, unfamiliar cities, and shared rooms. Streaming platforms reward bingeable, personality-driven idol reality shows, and fanbases now expect more than quick laughs. They want context: what motivates an artist to keep working, how family changes their priorities, and how they interact with colleagues when the cameras feel less formal and more documentary-like.
Kim Jong-kook’s Evolving Persona: From Tough Hyung to Married Traveler
Over years of game shows and reality formats, Kim Jong-kook has cultivated a layered variety persona: physically imposing yet shy, competitive yet soft-hearted, the gym-obsessed uncle who still teases his juniors. Manly Men’s Way of Traveling arrives at a moment when marriage and age naturally push that image into new territory. His running gag about working overseas “for the sake of my family” positions him as a relatable married man juggling duty and fatigue, rather than just an eternally single tough hyung. His banter with youngest castmate Daesung—snapping “Hey, you brat” when Daesung suggests a domestic trip next time—keeps his classic scolding-older-brother energy intact while adding a new subtext: he is now a husband calculating time away from home. This evolution reflects how veteran idols use variety to gently rebrand without alienating long-time fans.
Idol-Led Travel Formats as Soft PR in a Scrutinised Era
Manly Men’s Way of Traveling joins a growing ecosystem of idol reality shows and travel spin-offs that function as soft PR vehicles. As stars hit life milestones like marriage or enlistment, travel projects offer a controlled yet seemingly candid space to reset narratives and demonstrate maturity, responsibility, and chemistry with others. At the same time, recent controversies show how fragile public opinion can be. BTS leader RM, for instance, has faced allegations of smoking and discarding cigarette butts in a no-smoking area during a private trip, even as the group presses ahead with its signature variety content Run BTS 2.0 on Weverse. In such an environment, lighthearted, humanising footage of idols laughing through games, sharing cramped rooms, and playing chaotic missions becomes more than entertainment; it is a strategic way to anchor fandoms amid waves of online scrutiny.
The Future of Korean Travel Variety: Intimacy, Authenticity and Overseas Appeal
Kim Jong-kook’s new venture hints at where Korean travel variety is headed next. Overseas travel programs now aim to balance spectacle with emotional intimacy: viewers get competitive missions and picturesque backdrops, but also late-night conversations, small frustrations, and domestic details like phone calls home. For established stars, these shows are an efficient bridge between local broadcasters and global K entertainment streaming audiences, especially as episodes are clipped and subtitled for international fans. Going forward, expect more projects that pair “strong” images—fighters, gym fanatics, charismatic leaders—with situations that draw out vulnerability and everyday humor. As Manly Men’s Way of Traveling premieres, its success will be measured not just in ratings but in how convincingly it presents Kim Jong-kook and his castmates as real people on the move, negotiating careers, friendships, and family life in front of a worldwide audience.