Ha Suk-jin Joins Food Show “Meokchingu” in 2026

Ever wonder what happens when actors trade scripts for spoon-fuls of pork head meat? That’s exactly what’s happening on Korean television right now, and Ha Suk-jin is at the center of it.

The veteran actor is joining a new variety show called “Meokchingu,” or “Eating Friends,” alongside fellow actor Min Jin-woong. Together, they visit countryside restaurants and eat on camera for the audience’s entertainment.

But this isn’t just another food show. Ha Suk-jin revealed something surprisingly personal along the way, and it’s sparking curiosity across Korean entertainment media.

Ha Suk-jin Joins a New Kind of Food Show

Ha Suk-jin has built a career on serious dramas and thoughtful roles. So why would he sign up for a food-focused variety show that features gossip and confessions?

The answer lies in the format itself. “Meokchingu” brings together four cast members who travel to small, rural restaurants known for a single specialty dish.

In one episode, the group visits a modest eatery that serves only sundae-guk, a blood sausage soup, and meoritgogi, or sliced pork head meat. It’s the kind of place locals swear by but tourists rarely find.

Min Jin-woong joins Ha Suk-jin as his co-star, and the two share an easy chemistry that translates well on screen. Their friendship, according to early previews, feels genuine rather than staged.

That authenticity might be exactly what audiences are craving these days. After years of heavily produced variety shows, viewers seem hungry (pun intended) for something simpler and more real.

Why Paper Scripts Still Matter to Ha Suk-jin

Here’s the detail that caught everyone’s attention. Ha Suk-jin admitted that he can only memorize his lines when he’s working from a paper script.

Think about that for a moment. In an industry increasingly run by tablets, digital scripts, and cloud-based production tools, Ha Suk-jin still prefers holding actual paper in his hands.

Is this just personal quirk, or does it reveal something deeper about how actors process memory? Cognitive researchers have long noted that physical writing and reading engage the brain differently than screens do.

For an actor whose job depends entirely on memorization, that difference isn’t trivial. It’s a working method, refined over years of trial and error.

This small confession humanizes Ha Suk-jin in a way that a polished interview rarely could. It shows a working actor’s honest relationship with his craft, quirks and all.

Fans on Korean social media have already picked up on the detail, sharing it widely with comments ranging from amused to admiring. Sometimes the smallest habits tell the biggest stories about a person’s dedication.

The Charm of “Eating Friends” and Korean Food Culture

Korean variety shows have long used food as a social glue. Sharing a meal on camera isn’t just entertainment; it reflects a deeply rooted cultural value around eating together.

In Korea, meals are rarely solitary events. Even the phrase “bap meokja,” meaning “let’s eat,” functions as a casual invitation to connect, not just a statement about hunger.

“Meokchingu” leans into this tradition by pairing food with friendship and honest conversation. The show’s teaser suggests topics ranging from visible signs of aging to old romantic histories, all discussed over steaming bowls of soup.

You can find similar shows abroad, but the specific blend of small-town restaurants and unfiltered banter feels distinctly Korean. According to Maeil Business Newspaper, the cast’s willingness to reveal personal stories is what sets this new format apart from typical celebrity food programs.

Rural restaurants, often family-run for decades, add another layer of cultural weight. These are places built on a single recipe passed down through generations, not trendy fusion menus chasing social media likes.

By spotlighting them, Ha Suk-jin and his co-stars quietly support a part of Korean food culture that risks being forgotten. That’s a meaningful side effect, even if the show’s main goal is simply entertainment.

What This Says About Korean Variety TV in 2026

Korean variety television has been evolving fast. Big-budget concepts and elaborate games once dominated primetime slots, but audiences now seem to want something quieter.

Shows built around unscripted conversation, honest confessions, and modest settings are gaining ground. “Meokchingu” fits neatly into this shift, and Ha Suk-jin’s involvement lends it star power without losing that low-key feel.

Why does this matter beyond Korea’s borders? Because global streaming platforms have made Korean variety content just as exportable as K-dramas and K-pop.

International viewers are discovering that Korean entertainment isn’t only about polished idols and dramatic plot twists. It’s also about ordinary friendships, awkward confessions, and a shared bowl of soup at a roadside restaurant.

There’s something worth noticing in how these small, human moments travel so well across cultures. A show built on honesty and shared meals speaks to a universal longing for genuine connection, even as it stays rooted in specifically Korean settings and customs.

Of course, that same closeness among friends can also carry its own quiet pressure, the unspoken expectation to always show up cheerful, to always have a good story ready when the cameras roll. Real friendship, on screen or off, holds both the warmth and the weight together, and maybe that honesty is what makes shows like this worth watching in the first place.

Where do you think Korean variety television is headed next, and would you watch a show built entirely around food and friendship like this one?

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