Park Myeong-su, Jung Hyung-don, and Jeong Jun-ha to spotlight Kim Gu

As the entertainment industry grapples with debates over historical awareness and the family histories of celebrities following controversies regarding descendants of pro-Japanese collaborators, Park Myeong-su, Jung Hyung-don, and Jeong Jun-ha are reuniting for a historical program spotlighting independence activist Kim Gu.

This marks the first time the trio will appear together on a terrestrial broadcast since 'Infinite Challenge.' Moving away from the comedy they once specialized in, they will present a new storytelling format that blends history with humor by following the life of Kim Gu, a symbolic figure in the history of the Republic of Korea's independence movement.

MBC will broadcast the special program 'Footwork History' on August 26 at 9 PM. The program follows a historical storytelling format where the cast visits actual sites to trace the lives and footsteps of historical figures; this time, the protagonist is Baekbeom Kim Gu, who dedicated his entire life to the independence of his motherland.

The production team will travel beyond Korea to Shanghai and Yixing in China to revisit the sites where Kim Gu lived amidst the turbulent waves of the independence movement and dreamed of independence.

Joining the journey are Park Myeong-su, Jung Hyung-don, and Jeong Jun-ha, who shared long-standing chemistry on 'Infinite Challenge.'

The reunion is drawing significant attention as it transcends a simple variety show pairing. After 'Infinite Challenge' ended, the three have been active in their respective fields, but now, after approximately 10 years, they are gathering in a single frame to tackle history rather than just laughter.

A key point of interest is how the trio's signature bickering chemistry will interact with the heavy historical legacy of Kim Gu.

To provide historical context, storyteller Choi Tae Sung and Professor Kim Jaewon will join the cast. Moving beyond the fragmented glimpses of Kim Gu found in textbooks, the two aim to unravel how the human Kim Gu grew into an independence activist through various struggles and frustrations.

Most notably, the program will step back from the heroic image of 'Baekbeom Kim Gu' to examine his childhood.

For Kim Gu, poverty and social discrimination were harsh realities. He felt the barriers of a class-based society so deeply that he described his own family as 'low-born.' While he challenged the civil service examinations to escape these shackles, witnessing the corruption of the system led him to question the existing order and contemplate a new world.

It was Donghak that provided a new ideological turning point. Upon encountering Donghak, which emphasized human equality regardless of social status, he began to seek a path toward a new era, breaking away from his previous worldview.

Subsequently, Kim Gu's life traversed the upheavals of the late Joseon Dynasty and the Japanese colonial period. The program aims to show that Kim Gu did not become an independence activist overnight, but was shaped by the accumulation of poverty, social discrimination, the violence of the era, and ideological awakening.

The program's significance is heightened by the recent surge in public interest regarding historical awareness following controversies over the family histories and pro-Japanese activities of various celebrities.

While a distinction must be made between holding descendants responsible for their ancestors' actions and accurately remembering historical facts, how a nation remembers and inherits its past remains a continuous issue.

In this sense, the reunion of Park Myeong-su, Jung Hyung-don, and Jeong Jun-ha carries weight beyond a mere 'return of the Infinite Challenge members.' These individuals, who once reflected the landscape of Korean society through laughter, are now telling the story of a man who sacrificed his life for independence.

Interest is mounting to see if 'Footwork History' can restore the familiar hero Kim Gu into the human Kim Gu, and how the trio's variety chemistry will breathe life into heavy historical content.