It's time for a brand-new adventure! After returning from the freezing plains of Siberia, the 'Laws of the Jungle 2' cast members - Ryu Dam, Ricky Kim, Noh Woo Jin, and the chief himself, Kim Byung Man - find themselves sitting at Incheon International Airport, waiting for the new members so they can depart once again - this time, to the African savannahs of the island of Madagascar.

As the cast members are catching up with each other, a shy face appears from around the partition - it's 2AM's Jinwoon, one of the new faces for this Madagascar expedition. He brings a goodwill gift - handkerchiefs for everybody, each with its own distinct color - and shows off some vitamins he got from his good friend (and crush!) Girls' Generation's Seohyun.

The other new faces slowly arrive, as well - charismatic actor Park Jung Chul, who isn't nearly as charismatic off-screen as he appears in his dramas, and beautiful actress Jun Hye Bin - who breaks expectations by displaying her suitcase, which is full of ropes, tools, and other expedition gear. This isn't your average pretty actress.

It's a whopping 48 hours from Seoul, South Korea, to the wilds of Madagascar. After three long flights and a harrowing afternoon spent on the back of a pickup truck - including a small scare when the cast members very nearly ingest poison - the 'Jungle' crew finally arrives at their first destination, and they can't pick up their jaws at the sight that surrounds them: sand - and a lot of it. They're in the middle of the desert.

The crew's first task: find water - but how? And one more challenge: everyone is required to hand in any and all devices that tell time - from cell phones to watches, everything is confiscated. From now on, only the movement of the sun will be an indicator of how much time has passed in the desert.

And like so, the newest expedition begins - next week, we get a glimpse into the alive desert that is Madagascar!





I had already covered an episode of 'Laws of the Jungle 2' before on the allkpop TV Guide, when they were first starting their expedition to Siberia. Back then, I had praised the show for being a new kind of variety/documentary hybrid and featuring some amazing sights and sounds that can take the viewer far, far away.

But there were also a few points of criticism - the plains of Siberia weren't, well, jungle-y enough. And after a few weeks of the same grey landscape, viewers were getting a little tired. There weren't any jaw-dropping vistas like in previous expeditions, or scenes of wonder - just the same flatlands with the same scrubs and the same brush, over and over again.

With Madagascar, though, the producers have clearly taken these criticisms into account. From the very beginning, we get a earful and an eyeful of color (thanks to Dreamworks' eponymous film, 'Madagascar'), and it's clear that something is different with this expedition. It's supposed to be fun.

Also - because I know this is the reason 99% of you are reading this right now - let's talk about Jinwoon. Okay, we get it, he's a hunk. He also smiles a lot and has an infectuous eye-smile. He's a composer and a lyricist (he even brought his own guitar), and he'll fit in very well with the current cast. He brings young blood to the 'Jungle' crew, and that is a welcome addition no matter where the expedition is going.

But let's also talk about the other new members on the team as well, because they're just so much more interesting to talk about. (Sorry, 2AM fans.)

Jun Hye Bin was definitely a surprise. She is an actress, and a very beautiful one at that - which naturally led to some speculation about how she'd fit in with the 'Jungle' crew. From the looks of it, though, it seems like she'll do just fine - judging by the contents of her backpack, she is fully aware of the challenges facing her and her teammates, and ready to put in her share of the work. I think I love her.

Park Jung Chul, I'm a little bit more anxious about. He is definitely quiet - perhaps a little too quiet, although that could be blamed on the potential unfamiliarity that yet exists between the cast members. I'm having a hard time thinking of a scene in this episode where he was the 'main' character, and mostly, he seemed to blend into the background. A few more episodes should give viewers a better look at what his personality is really like.

I've always liked 'Laws of the Jungle 2' since its beginning. It provides a nice contrast to the highly-stylized urban action variety that immediately follows it ('Running Man'), and is still unique among the several variety shows currently airing in South Korea. Jinwoon, Park Jung Chul, and Jun Hye Bin are exciting new cast members, and the original cast are still excited as ever to embark on a new expedition - and the viewers, ourselves, along with them.



Here's our recommendations on what to catch for the week coming ahead. Keep in mind that these picks are the writer's personal choices; your own opinion may vary. All times in KST.

Monday, September 3

Come to Play  :::  MBC, 11:15 PM

Hosts – Yoo Jae Suk, Kim Won Hee

The celebration for the 400th episode of 'Come to Play' continues! Say hello to special guests Noh Hong Chul, Park Myung Soo, Gil, Lee Juk, Jo Young Nam, Yoon Do Hyun, and Song Hae as they help mark this very special anniversary. And Yoo Jae Suk delves into the studio audience to find some special stories about 'Come to Play'. Don't miss out on the festivities!

Tuesday, September 4

Strong Heart  :::  SBS, 11:15 PM

Hosts – Shin Dong Yup, Lee Dong Wook

It's yet another spectacular line-up of guests for this Tuesday's episode of 'Strong Heart'! Hallyu-dols KARA and MBLAQ grace the stage, along with actress Jo Min Soo, actor Lee Jung Jin, film director Kim Ki Duk, and Olympic women's volleyball player Kim Yeon Kyung. Don't miss Lee Joon's hilarious antics on the set, as well as stories from all over the entertainment industry - from sports, to movies, to music.

Wednesday, September 5

Golden Fishery – Radio Star  :::  MBC, 11:05 PM

Hosts – Yoon Jong Shin, Kim Kook Jin, Kyuhyun, Yoo Sae Yoon

"We are Super Junior", and they are on this week's 'Golden Fishery' to give their maknae Kyuhyun a taste of their minds! With Siwon, Shindong, Eunhyuk, and Leeteuk as guests, it seems like Kyuhyun is going to have a very hard time of it for this episode. We're not complaining, though - hilarity is sure to ensue, and more Siwon is definitely a good thing!

Thursday, September 6

Happy Together 3  :::  KBS2, 11:15 PM

Hosts – Yoo Jae Suk, Park Myung Soo, Park Mi Sun, Shin Bong Sun

[Preview not available at press time.]

Friday, September 7

GO Show  :::  SBS, 11:05 PM

Hosts – Go Hyun Jung, Jung Hyung Don, Yoon Jong Shin, Kim Young Chul

[Preview not available at press time.]

Saturday, September 8

Infinity Challenge  :::  MBC, 4:00 PM

Hosts – Yoo Jae Suk, Park Myung Soo, HaHa, Noh Hong Chul, Jung Jun Ha, Jung Hyung Don, Gil

The quest continues for the 'Infinity Challenge' members to send themselves to the beautiful island paradise of Hawaii! After a harrowing series of games and eliminations, Noh Hong Chul is the only lucky member left standing - but now he is faced with the most horrible game of all: one where he has to face the rest of the 'Infinity' crew in a 1-versus-6 matchup. Will Hong Chul be able to hold on to his winning streak? Or will the rest of the members exact their revenge?

Sunday, September 9

Running Man  :::  SBS, 6:00 PM

Hosts – Yoo Jae Suk, Ji Suk Jin, HaHa, Lee Kwang Soo, Song Ji Hyo, Kim Jong Kook, Gary

It's part 2 of the Olympic athletes' special with 'nation's fairy', rhythmic gynmast Son Yeon Jae, and 'marine boy' swimmer Park Tae Hwan! In a first in 'Running Man' history, this episode consists of two separate hide-and-seek races - the first part being a traditional hide-and-seek, while the second match is a revolutionary change in the game's core mechanic: target hunting, where each cast member is given a specific target to hunt. It's going to be another exciting episode of 'Running Man'!

 

Readers' Voices - We Got Married

In last week's issue of the allkpop TV Guide, we asked our readers to share their most valuable and memorable stories about the recently-departed 'We Got Married' couple, T-ara's Eunjung and Lee Jang Woo. There were tons of awesome comments, but we selected a couple of the best and well-written comments to share in this issue.

 

This couple is very natural in terms of expressing their feelings towards each other. This couple made me laugh and got me excited. Woojung couple made me feel that it's happy and beautiful to fall in love again, with their lovey-dovey ways. This couple learned so much from each other and I too, learned from them a lot.

- Jonah Cortez

One of my favorite memories of the WooJung couple (out of many favorite memories) was their traditional wedding in Lombok. The wedding looked super sweet as they said their vows to each other while their mothers who adored their child-in-laws looked on with teary eyes.

-SHINeelovee05

Their skinships and glances are way too natural for a mere virtual couple, that it's easy for a viewer to believe they really have developed romantic feelings for each other.

- amicus_curae

I'm one of the veteran viewers of this show, and I can say with confidence that the Woojung couple was one of the best couples to grace the show. Like the writer of this piece said, it was satisfying to see Jangwoo act honestly towards Eunjung. They felt like the most sincere of all of the younger couples I have watched so far.

-Raidori07

Jang Woo often joked that Eunjung was like an ahjumma and that his heart no longer fluttered when he met her. In place of a heady, romantic relationship, they had a close, comfortable relationship in which both gave and received.

- E.H.P.

 

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Do you have a (currently ongoing) program you'd like to see reviewed? Tell the author via Twitter (@MtnMadman).