Ji Ye-eun, who is "earning her keep," teams up with Mirage and Yang Sang-guk for a historical cooking variety show, "What Did the King Eat?" [Full]

[Sportschosun reporter Baek Ji-eun] Ji Ye-eun, one of the hottest MZ stars, is trying her hand at a new royal comedy role.

Ji rose to fame through her pitch-perfect hyper-realistic comedy performances in Coupang Play's "SNL Korea" series, including "Maratangwei," "A Head Full of Flowers," and "Chorong's Girlfriend." On SBS's "Running Man," she has also stood out as a "chemistry fairy," from her blunt and offbeat underdog dynamic that leaves Yoo Jae-suk and Kim Jong-kook speechless, to her "real-life sibling" relationship with Jee Seok-jin and Haha, and even her "hate-to-love romance" with Yang Se-chan.

Ji took on a new challenge with TV CHOSUN's "What Did the King Eat?," which premiered on the 8th. The program presents itself as a "delicious history book," telling surprising stories hidden behind everything from royal health foods enjoyed by the Joseon dynasty's kings for 500 years to forbidden delicacies that shook the era. Ji joined the show as a bold youngest palace maid from the MZ generation, bringing trendy energy with her bubbly charm and distinctive way of speaking.

Ji's performance is already making an impact. Rather than being confined to a fixed maid character, she changes her persona every episode to match the theme, adding fresh fun to the show. In the first episode, she was the seasoning that completed the royal kitchen, while in the second episode, set during King Sukjong's reign, she rose in status as Royal Noble Consort Huibin Jang and scolded Yang Sang-guk, who played a eunuch, showing off her strong situational acting.

She also draws viewers in with her raw, quirky reactions as someone who knows little about history, such as answering, "Sejong the Great is the person on the 5,000-won bill," which leaves top instructor Choi Tae-sung speechless. Even among veteran entertainers like Mirage and Yang Sang-guk, she does not back down and instead creates a superior-subordinate chemistry. Her candid and trendy descriptions of food also resonate with viewers, even making chef Lee Yeon-ju, known as the "New York Jang Geum," feel on edge.

At a press conference held on the 14th at a studio in Seoul's Guro District, Ji said, "It would be embarrassing if I were the only one who didn't know history, but Mirage doesn't know much either. She's a reliable ally. Yang Sang-guk seems to know history more than expected, but he's similar. I learned a lot. It will be a useful time because I can learn history." She asked viewers to tune in.

Choi Tae-sung said, "We also look into the historical background behind the king's table. It is a program that blends food, stories, and history well and delivers them in an entertaining way. I had turned down variety show offers before, but this time I thought that if we could explain history in a light and fun way through the chemistry with the three of them, we might be able to introduce history to more people. I could see why the three of them get paid. Even celebrities with strong personalities in Korea close their mouths when they meet me because they feel burdened by history talk, but Yang Sang-guk surprisingly knows a lot about history, so that was a new discovery. Mirage is an expert when it comes to taste. Ji Ye-eun plays the role of matching the level of curiosity viewers have."

Mirage said, "History should not be distorted, so I am careful when speaking about it. Even if the editing helps, one wrong word can send you into a downward spiral. You can enjoy food and history together. I was really ignorant about history, so the early recordings were boring, but as I gradually learned more, I became interested."

Yang Sang-guk said, "Because the food comes from historical situations, it makes you think, 'What meaning did people have when they ate this food?' This is my first fixed variety show, so I am doing my best."

"What Did the King Eat?" airs every Wednesday at 10 p.m.

Baek Ji-eun, silk781220@sportschosun.com

This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.