Lee Hyo-ri to Reunite With Yoo Jae-suk as a 'Happy Together' MC After 19 Years

Lee Hyo-ri is returning to 'Happy Together' as an MC alongside Yoo Jae-suk for the first time in about 19 years.

The singer will appear as a special MC on the premiere episode of KBS2's new entertainment program, 'Happy Together: I Like It Because I'm Not Alone.' Her appearance places her back inside a program title closely associated with her early variety-show career.

The new 'Happy Together' will be hosted by Yoo Jae-suk, Jang Hang-jun, Yoon Jong-shin and others. Lee Hyo-ri joined the recording of the first episode as a special MC, lending support to Yoo Jae-suk and the rest of the hosting team as the program begins its new run.

The reunion is drawing attention because Lee Hyo-ri and Yoo Jae-suk previously worked together on the second season of 'Happy Together' in May 2006, when they were known to viewers as the 'National Siblings' for their on-screen chemistry. Lee Hyo-ri later left the program in January 2007 to focus on her activities as a singer, making this return to the 'Happy Together' MC lineup a reunion after roughly 19 years.

Lee Hyo-ri's history with the franchise goes back even further. In April 2002, she was selected as an MC for the first season of 'Happy Together,' marking her first challenge as a variety-program host.

At that time, she worked with Shin Dong-yup and helped lead the program through a peak period. She later also showed strong chemistry with Yoo Jae-suk, adding another reason her return to the format is being watched closely.

'Happy Together: I Like It Because I'm Not Alone' is a storytelling music audition program built around proving the reason people sing together. It is a team-based audition open without restrictions on age, genre or qualifications, and applicants may participate with any number of members as long as they are not performing alone.

The program will evaluate not only singing ability but also each team's own story and harmony as major judging criteria. It is scheduled to premiere sometime in July.