Kim Byung-hyun, who had declared the closure of “The Boss’s Ears are Donkey Ears,” is starting a new business without his wife’s knowledge.
The 291st episode of KBS2’s entertainment show ‘The Boss’s Ears are Donkey Ears’ (hereinafter ‘Sadangui’), which aired on the 2nd, recorded a nationwide rating of 5.7%, a peak rating of 8.5%, and a 2049 rating of 1.7%, continuing an unprecedented record of being the number one entertainment show in the same time slot for 140 consecutive weeks. (Based on Nielsen Korea)
Boss Lee Soon-sil smiled happily as she received New Year’s greetings from her hometown juniors, who are like daughters to her. To the dance parade of her juniors, who were there to receive New Year’s money, Lee Soon-sil handed out 500 won and 1 dollar as New Year’s gifts. Na Min-hee made everyone laugh by saying, “In North Korea, 1 dollar is the best, but in South Korea, the best is the 50,000 won bill featuring Shin Saimdang.” Lee Soon-sil then showcased her frugal side by gathering mini washing machines, dishwashers, and dryers found in the apartment recycling bin, and she stopped by the security office to share food and exchange good wishes.
The place Lee Soon-sil took her juniors to was a photo studio. Following the North Korean custom of taking family photos during the Lunar New Year, they aimed to capture a commemorative photo. Lee Soon-sil’s confident request for Photoshop made everyone laugh, and after each of them got dressed up, they entered the studio. Compared to the awkwardness at the beginning, their expressions and poses became much softer, bringing joy to the viewers. Lee Soon-sil performed magical custom edits, such as enlarging her eyes and reducing her face, turning the studio into a sea of laughter and starting the New Year on a cheerful note.
‘Professional Entrepreneur’ Kim Byung-hyun hinted at a new beginning. To open a new burger shop, Kim Byung-hyun, along with Jung Ho-young, went out for market research and visited a busy food court early in the morning. Jung Ho-young pointed out that many items in the food court are priced under 10,000 won and that the convenience leads to high lunch demand, analyzing the pros and cons. He expressed concern over Kim Byung-hyun’s handmade burger set priced at around 12,000 won. In reality, office workers also preferred dishes like gukbap, tonkatsu, and spicy pork, making Kim Byung-hyun nervous.
Kim Byung-hyun and Jung Ho-young visited a buffet-style restaurant for office workers, amazed by the unbeatable value of 9,900 won. The automatic serving for customers significantly reduced labor costs, and the owner mentioned that even with just three hours of lunch service five days a week, they could maintain a 35% profit margin. Intrigued, Kim Byung-hyun said, “Indeed, we need to reduce labor costs. I have to stick to the burger shop,” but then added, “My wife doesn’t know about the new store contract,” causing the cast to gasp.
The third place they visited was a 40-year-old restaurant in Cheongpa-dong, where they were amazed by the visual and taste of the bulgogi set that was ready in just 15 seconds after ordering. The self-service style allowed for a comfortable home-cooked meal while reducing labor costs, and Kim Byung-hyun was touched by the full course that included free coffee for dessert, declaring, “If my new business in Yangjae-dong fails, I won’t step into the same industry for a year,” drawing attention to the outcome.
Boss Jeong Ji-sun went to record her son Lee Woo-hyung’s favorite program ‘Defcon, How About It?’ Jeong Ji-sun began practicing with comedians Jo Soo-yeon and Shin Yoon-seung before the recording. During this process, Woo-hyung certified himself as a true fan of Shin Yoon-seung, capturing everyone’s attention. When Woo-hyung believed Jo Soo-yeon was Shin Yoon-seung’s girlfriend, the playful Jo Soo-yeon revealed, “Aunt and uncle are getting married in May,” surprising Woo-hyung.
Such false news continued into the studio. Kim Byung-hyun was deceived by Kim Sook and Park Myung-soo, who teamed up to say, “Hyun-moo is getting married next month.” Even Jeon Hyun-moo confessed that he had been dating for a month, making Kim Byung-hyun ask, “Really?” and eliciting laughter.
While Jeong Ji-sun was preparing to showcase bath-making in her segment, Woo-hyung and his friends escaped the recording studio and confidently walked through the KBS hallway, asking comedian Jo Min-hyeon for an autograph while proudly stating, “I am Jeong Ji-sun’s son,” to which Jeong Ji-sun remarked, “I’m surprised because he’s never said that before.” However, just before the recording, when Woo-hyung approached a nervous Jeong Ji-sun backstage, instead of offering support, he asked, “Can I have a card? I want to buy a drink,” causing everyone to burst into laughter.
Amid the audience's cheers, Jeong Ji-sun successfully completed the bath-making mission on her first 개콘 stage, showcasing her skills as a world-class star chef. After the recording, during the meal, Woo-hyung chose between “having meals with mom often” and “receiving a 100,000 won cultural gift certificate,” responding with “Still mom,” touching Jeong Ji-sun while also saying, “I feel sorry for the staff who get scolded by mom. Getting scolded is just like me,” which made everyone laugh.
As friends testified that Woo-hyung had many girlfriends, Jeong Ji-sun showed interest, and as questions about ideal types continued between Shin Yoon-seung and Jeong Ji-sun, Woo-hyung said, “Mom is cornering me,” adding, “She’s a total devil,” but also expressed, “I feel sorry for my busy mom. In the New Year, I hope she reduces her work and travels with me more. I love you,” making Jeong Ji-sun smile.
