Variety is the spice of life for Lee Seung-gi

“Twogether is essentially a Korean series; the graphics are in English and the sensibility is English. But in reality, it's designed to be a show that should appeal to people globally. ”

These are the first lines of a review for the Netflix original reality show “Twogether” from Decider, an American media outlet specializing in global streaming content.

Although produced by Company Sang Sang, a local film production company, “Twogether” is no ordinary Korean show: The chemistry between Korean singer and actor Lee Seung-gi and Taiwanese actor Jasper Liu transcends language barriers as the duo is pitted against each other while roaming around in Asian countries such as Indonesia, Thailand and Nepal and tracking down their fans.

Recommendations quickly spread online, with the show being dubbed “the perfect content for those encountering an Asian show for the first time. ” It was also ranked in the “Top 10 TV Shows” in eight countries since its release on June 26.

“I was really worried [if people would like] seeing two people with different nationalities, languages and cultures meet up, but I was relieved to see they did,” Lee said in an online press interview last week with the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily. “Since we can’t talk to each other, I think our communication became more pure and energetic. It was really amazing to see that we could interact using just our gestures and body language. Once again, I've come to realize that the most important factor [in relationships] is sympathy. ”

"Twogether" is Jasper's first attempt at the variety show genre, and he's certainly been thrown in at the deep end.

Korean variety shows are notorious for their mission-impossible tasks that get a kick out of participants struggling to complete.

Veteran entertainer Lee seemed to be lucking out with the easier tasks like the relaxation game at the beginning of the show. Jasper, on the other hand, was left to try his hand at harpoon fishing to attain clues about their fans’ locations.

But the Taiwanese actor quickly adapted to the show and began to come into his own. Once he found his stride, he started to reveal his mischievous side, like hiding the keys to Lee's motorcycle so he could reach a chosen destination faster than his co-host did.

“Korean variety shows are really hard-core,” Lee admitted. “Since shows from other countries are talk-based, rarely does a celebrity go outside the studio for intense physical activities. Although Jasper seemed overwhelmed by the various missions that we had to complete, he also seemed to be having fun. I think this has appealed to overseas viewers as something fresh and original. ”

Lee praised Jasper, calling him the “discovery of a new gemstone for variety shows. ”

“He would have no trouble participating in other local shows as well,” Lee commented.

While other travel variety shows focus on promoting Korean culture, most of the “Twogether” episodes are spent taking in the local cultures.

Rather than just exploring the places recommended by fans, the duo actively takes part in activities unique to the localities they are visiting.

For example, they play games while dancing to Kecak, a traditional Indonesian dance, and spontaneously forming a team with Thai citizens and for a game of Sepak Sepaktakraw — a sport that has been around in Southeast Asian countries since the 9th century.

The pair only has one day to explore each city they visit, so the show tries to hone in on cultural immersion rather than mere sightseeing.

Fans introduce a Hallyu, or Korean wave, aspect as they reveal which drama series or films they watched upon becoming fans of Lee.

Lee is once again working with producer Cho Hyo-jin, whom he first met through the “ X -man” on SBS. Lee also featured in both seasons of the Netflix original series “Busted!” (2018-2019) which was also produced by Cho.

“His style in variety shows — like “Running Man” on SBS — is dynamic and full of adventures, which I like,” Lee said. “I was a bit worried at the start because I've always featured in reality travel shows in a group, but there was an advantage to becoming more immersed in the show.

“When we filmed this last September, we could never have imagined that people wouldn't be able to travel due to Covid-19. I think a lot of our viewers are able to live vicariously through watching our show,” Lee added.

His next appearance will also be another variety show. Along with actor Cha Tae-hyun, Lee is to visit and explore the hometown of local celebrities on tvN's “Seoul Villager” (translated), set to begin airing on July 12.

Since taking the Grand Prize at the 2018 SBS Entertainment Awards, Lee has faced criticism that he's “focusing too much on his image as an entertainer [rather than as an actor]. ”

“I learned to look at the big picture through doing variety shows," Lee said. "When I’m a singer, I stand on the stage alone, and when I’m acting, I focus on my role, but since shows don't have a script, I need to constantly be alert and observe what the producers want and what the other members of the cast are good at. This, I believe, is the drive that propels me forward, so I plan to continue featuring on such shows. ”

BY MIN KYUNG-WON

Lee Seung-gi “big picture view that the law can learn Art”I'm

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"Twogether is essentially a Korean series; the graphics are in English and the sensibility is English. But in reality, it's designed to be a show that should appeal to people globally. "These are the first lines of a review for the Netflix original. .