The March 10 episode scored a 1.8% rating in the 2049 demographic, No. 1 in its time slot. It was also No. 1 among all Tuesday programs, marked 12 straight weeks at No. 1 in its time slot, and ranked No. 1 across Tuesday dramas and variety for 9 weeks. Household ratings hit 3.9%, peaking at 5.2% by the minute. (All per Nielsen Korea, Seoul Capital Area.)
On this episode, 2MCs Yoo Jae-suk and Yoo Yeon-seok teamed up with “Teum Friends” actors Esom, Kim Kyung-nam, and Jeon Seok-ho. They brought big luck vibes at a composite photo studio in Gunja-dong and a snack shop near Sejong University.
Yoo Yeon-seok came in hyped, sharing throwback stories about Gunja-dong. When his ‘Phantom Lawyer’ castmates Esom, Kim Kyung-nam, and Jeon Seok-ho showed up, Yoo Jae-suk cheered, “Today is Yeon-seok’s day,” with a big thumbs-up.
Esom set the tone, saying she’d soaked up good energy at Yeonjuam on Gwanaksan during Lunar New Year, and fans could feel the buzz for her team-up with Yoo Yeon-seok. The crew also playfully roasted “Professor” Yoo after news of his Sejong University special professorship. Every time he mentioned Sejong University, the four teased, “As expected, Professor,” cracking everyone up.
Their first “Teum Owner” was the duo running the composite photo studio, best friends who spend 16 hours a day together. The first mini-mission was “Coin Film Shot!,” bouncing a coin to knock down a film canister. Esom turned sniper mode on―every shot landed. She and Jeon Seok-ho cleared Level 1 and fired up the room. After Kim Kyung-nam nailed a two-for-one, Esom hit buzzer-beaters with just one second left to clear both Levels 2 and 3. Yoo Yeon-seok shouted, “She’s possessed!” Jeon Seok-ho added, “Now I get why Yeon-seok keeps coming on ‘Whenever Possible,’” sending the studio into cheers.
Meanwhile, Yoo Yeon-seok went all-in on his Sejong University nostalgia. “I used to come here a lot in college,” “This spot’s been around forever,” he said, diving into memory lane. He kept it going even while picking a lunch spot, until Jeon Seok-ho joked, “Se-jong hyung! Jong hyung!” to get him to stop, making everyone laugh. Then Esom’s instincts kicked in: the lunch place she picked turned out to be the next Teum Owner’s restaurant. “Esom’s on fire today,” Yoo Yeon-seok said, amping up expectations for the final game.
The second Teum Owner was Yoo Yeon-seok’s go-to bunsik (snack) shop. The owner shared a warm reunion with him, fond memories with college students built over 54 years, and her loyal viewer moment as a fan of ‘Whenever Possible.’ The second mission, “Tense Pot Lid,” had the team locked in. Fueled by Yoo Yeon-seok’s extra motivation, and with clutch plays from Yoo Jae-suk, Kim Kyung-nam, and Esom, they cleared Levels 1 and 2 on their third try, and the place went wild. Jeon Seok-ho found a cheeky hack―blowing on the ping-pong ball―and rallied the group with, “Let’s not be shy!” But they fell short on Level 3. Yoo Yeon-seok promised, “I’ll come by often!” leaving everyone smiling to the end.
Yoo Jae-suk, Yoo Yeon-seok, Esom, Kim Kyung-nam, and Jeon Seok-ho delivered possessed-level chemistry and truly made it “Yeon-seok’s day.” Yoo Yeon-seok shared college memories and made new ones with his favorite eatery’s owner, while Esom’s 100% hit rate powered a dramatic Level 3 success for a major dopamine rush.
‘Whenever Possible,’ a “gap-time attack” variety where the 2MCs surprise people with luck in little pockets of everyday life, airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)