How Did "Superman Returns" Become The Top Weekend Variety Show?

KBS "Superman Returns" has become the most watched family-variety show on TV. When the program was in its inception, many people accused it of being a knock-off of MBC's "Dad, Where Are We Going?" Despite these criticisms, "Superman Returns" has taken over as most popular weekend variety show.

The key to their success seems to be in the show's overall balance. In the beginning of the show, the four families were separately filmed over different time periods. The one family among the four that was garnering all the attention was Choo Sung Hoon's family - especially Choo Sung Hoon's daughter, Sarang.

Choo Sung Hoon and his daughter Sarang were given the nickname "Choo-vely" (combination of Choo and lovely) and caused a sensation in the country. Many fans found themselves watching the program solely for Sarang's scenes. Over time, however, Tablo's daughter Haru also became a mainstay icon of the show due to her cuteness and imagination.

Lee Hwi Jae's family focused on the dad, Lee Hwi Jae, more than his twin sons. They were able to portray the difficulty that Lee faced as a father of twin boys in his early 40's.

The X-factor came from Jang Hyun Seung's family. A relatively unknown actor, many people thought that his inclusion in the program was an odd choice; however, his two sons have become characters that the fans love.

The explosion of popularity came when the four families came together for a special occasion. When the children began to interact, the viewers increased. Jang Hyun Seung's oldest son, Jun Woo, started to receive attention and love from both Haru and Sarang, the viewers responded positively.

This is very a very different phenomenon from "Dad, Where Are We Going?" where the dads and their children are constantly at work to create content that the fans can enjoy. "Superman Returns" began as more of an observation into the four families' daily lives. This, of course, became more interactive when the four families came together.

"Superman Returns" stayed on top of "Dad, Where Are We Going?" despite the time change due to Sochi Winter Olympics. That alone speaks volumes about the shifting popularity toward the show.

Tags
superman returns
Choo Sung Hoon
Tablo
Lee Hwi Jae
Jang Hyun-seung
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