Lee Soo-geun jokes driving duties would cost 1.3 billion won

During a YouTube appearance on the 'Lee Seung-gi 2' channel on the 27th, Lee Soo-geun joked that his chauffeur fees for driving 1,000km during the peak of '2 Days and 1 Night' would total 1.3 billion won.

Broadcaster Lee Soo-geun has shared stories of how the vehicle used for filming was changed five times during the peak era of the KBS2 variety show '2 Days and 1 Night.' Recalling the hardships of being in charge of long-distance driving for shoots that traveled across the country, he jokingly remarked that if his driving were calculated at chauffeur service rates, it would amount to as much as 1.3 billion won.

On the 27th, a video titled 'Kanari Winner' was released on the YouTube channel 'Lee Seung-gi 2.' Appearing as the first guest, Lee Soo-geun shared behind-the-scenes stories from the '2 Days and 1 Night' filming days with Lee Seung-gi. Even though a long time has passed since the broadcast ended, the two revisited memories from the show's heyday, recalling past scenes that continue to be discussed online.

Lee Seung-gi expressed surprise that the past broadcast is still a topic of conversation, noting, "It's been almost 20 years, yet people are still watching that." He specifically recalled a scene involving Jegichagi on Heuksando Island, noting how funny Lee Soo-geun's reaction was at the time. Lee Soo-geun, thinking he might be given another chance, described the situation as "the god of variety has arrived." Despite the passage of time, the unexpected situations and witty reactions from that period remain special memories for both men.

The conversation naturally turned to vehicles. Lee Soo-geun revealed that he was responsible for transporting the members in a black Carnival during the filming of '2 Days and 1 Night,' stating, "We changed it five times during '2 Days and 1 Night.'" Because the nature of the filming required repeated long-distance driving to various parts of the country, the vehicle was changed frequently. More than just a means of transportation, the vehicle was a part of the filming site, bearing the traces of the production environment at the time.

The interior of the vehicle was reportedly covered in tape used to fix cameras in place. Lee Soo-geun shared the discomfort of the experience, noting that when he tried to lift his arm, it would stick to the tape. Lee Seung-gi explained that because the environment was not as easy as it is now to mount filming equipment, a lot of tape was used. The equipment installed for filming ended up interfering with the driver's movements.

Lee Seung-gi also highlighted the struggles Lee Soo-geun faced while driving between multiple cameras and large-bodied members. Even with a limited field of vision due to the filming equipment and the members sitting next to him, he had to travel across the country, making it difficult even to check the side mirrors. This highlights that significant effort went into the driving and transportation processes—which are not well-captured on screen—to create the fun seen in variety show filming.

The method of finding directions was also different from today. Lee Soo-geun explained that he used to check the car behind him through the mirror because he was on friendly terms with the drivers of the following vehicles. He would identify the route to take by observing when the car behind him turned on its turn signal. In an era when navigation and filming equipment were not as convenient as they are now, experience gained on-site and coordination with the production crew appeared to play an important role in the movement process.

Anecdotes about driving long distances across the country continued. When Lee Seung-gi asked, "Didn't you drive about 1,000km back then?" Lee Soo-geun replied, "I drove 1,000km." He then drew laughter by joking that if his driving labor at the time were converted into chauffeur fees, "it would come to about 1.3 billion won." Rather than an actual calculation of costs, this was an exaggerated expression of the effort he put in while holding the steering wheel throughout the filming. It suggests how much the '2 Days and 1 Night' schedule involved movement and physical exhaustion.

Lee Soo-geun also mentioned that his connections with former colleagues continue to this day. He shared that he recently contacted Eun Ji-won, noting, "He goes camping with his wife." Lee Seung-gi reacted with surprise, saying, "Ji-won hyung, camping? He hates cleaning up." As he shared the changed daily lives of colleagues who once suffered together traveling across the country, the memories of the '2 Days and 1 Night' era extended beyond simple stories of an old broadcast into a friendship that continues to this day.

Read the original (Korean)