"Call Me Hyung", "I'm Currently Unemployed"... Ruling and Opposition Presidential Candidates Head to Variety Shows

Yoon Appears on 'Master in the House', Ratings Double... Peak Rating Surpasses 12%
Lee Jae-myung and Lee Nak-yeon Also Scheduled to Appear on 'Master in the House'... Hong Joon-pyo to Appear on 'Waknam'
Experts Say "Presidential Candidates' Variety Show Appearances Have Little Impact on Voter Sentiment"

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, a presidential candidate from the People Power Party, appeared on SBS's "Master in the House" on the 19th. Photo by SBS "Master in the House" screen capture.

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Ahead of next year's presidential election, the ruling and opposition presidential candidates are all announcing appearances on variety shows. Starting with Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate and former Prosecutor General, broadcasters are preparing special programs for Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, and Lee Nak-yon, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.

The public has mixed reactions to the presidential candidates' appearances on variety shows. While there is a positive aspect in that it allows them to break away from a stiff image and communicate more familiarly with the public, there is also criticism that excessive production could rather alienate voters. Experts predict that the candidates' appearances on broadcasts will not significantly influence voters' preferences.

Earlier, SBS's "Master in the House," featuring former Prosecutor General Yoon as a mentor, attracted attention with ratings more than doubling compared to the previous week. This was Yoon's first appearance on a TV variety show.

According to Nielsen Korea, the nationwide household rating for "Master in the House," aired on the 19th, rose by 3.8 percentage points from 3.6% the previous week to 7.4%. The highest minute rating soared to 12.1%.

On the show, Yoon dressed casually and invited the members to his home. He said, "I invited you to eat something delicious," serving homemade kimchi stew, bulgogi, and rolled omelet. To members who found it difficult to address him, he said, "Call me Seok-yeol hyung. I am currently unemployed. It's been a while since I quit being Prosecutor General."

Additionally, he showed a friendly side by imitating actor Joo Hyun's voice and passionately singing singer Lee Seung-chul's song "There Is No One Like That."

Following Yoon's buzz, Democratic presidential candidates Governor Lee and former leader Lee are scheduled to appear on the same program on the 26th and October 3rd, respectively.

SBS 'Master in the House' will air a special broadcast featuring former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, and former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon. Photo by SBS 'Master in the House' screen capture.

People Power Party lawmaker Hong Joon-pyo will appear on TV Chosun's variety show "A Man Who Uses His Wife's Card" on the 28th. In a previously released preview, Hong showed a tender side by preparing flowers for his wife, Lee Soon-sam.

Politicians appearing on variety shows is not a new phenomenon. Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, appeared on MBC's "Knee-Drop Guru" in 2009 before entering politics, attracting attention. Ahead of the 2012 presidential election, President Moon Jae-in and former President Park Geun-hye appeared together on SBS's "Healing Camp, Aren't You Happy?"

During the April 7 Seoul mayoral by-election, former Future United Party (now People Power Party) lawmaker Na Kyung-won and former Minister of SMEs and Startups Park Young-sun, both candidates from opposing parties, competed on TV Chosun's "Taste of Wife."

The reason politicians use variety shows as a promotional tool is related to public recognition and favorability. Politicians prefer variety shows to highlight a friendly and human side instead of a cold image. Unlike somewhat stiff TV debates, politicians can communicate with the public through variety shows and easily convey their vision and policies, so they often appear on variety shows during election seasons.

People Power Party presidential candidate Hong Joon-pyo will appear on TV Chosun's "A Man Who Uses the Wife Card" on the 28th. Photo by TV Chosun.

Among citizens, positive opinions are also emerging regarding politicians' appearances on variety shows. Office worker Min (25) said, "I had a preconceived notion that politicians were boring, but watching Yoon on 'Master in the House' during this Chuseok holiday made me realize that politicians' daily lives are not much different from ours. I wasn't very interested in politics before, but this variety show made me more interested."

However, some criticize that politicians might be using variety shows to clean up their image ahead of elections. Since variety shows allow some degree of situational setup and production, there is concern that politicians could be glamorized. There is also an opinion that excessive production could hinder voters' rational choices.

University student Chae (24) said, "It's not necessarily good that politicians appear on broadcasts. Aren't they appearing to win viewers' votes? Their intentions aren't pure, so how can it be seen positively? I don't think politicians appearing on variety shows will increase their approval ratings. Nowadays, voters vote based on pledges and visions, not just the candidates' images."

Experts also analyzed that presidential candidates' appearances on variety shows will not significantly affect voters' preferences.

Cultural critic Jung Deok-hyun said, "Politicians began appearing regularly on variety shows from the 2010s. In the past, SBS's 'Healing Camp' featured prominent ruling and opposition candidates including President Moon Jae-in. It has become a natural trend for presidential candidates to appear on variety shows before elections."

He added, "The public also wants to see the human side of presidential candidates. This is why politicians' friendly images are emphasized on broadcasts. However, whether politicians' appearances on variety shows influence approval ratings is questionable. The public prioritizes pledges, and if the focus is only on a friendly image, it could have a negative effect. While image politics might have had a positive impact in the past, variety show appearances are unlikely to have a significant influence now."