[Interview①] "I Thought I Slept Well at the Hotel" Ryu Yi-ho Reveals About 'Together', Lee Seung-gi, Haha, and Korean Variety Shows

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] "It was truly real. I thought we would go to the hotel and sleep once the cameras were off, but that was not the case."

Chinese-speaking actor Liu Yihuo shared his thoughts on joining his first Korean variety show alongside Lee Seung-gi.

On the 6th, Liu Yihuo spoke about various aspects of the Netflix original series 'Together' during an online video chat interview.

'Together' is a travel variety show this summer featuring two same-age stars, Lee Seung-gi and Liu Yihuo, who come from different languages and backgrounds, traveling across Asia to meet fans. The two complete missions given by the production team at fan-recommended travel destinations, piecing together clues to find their fans. The show was planned by PDs Jo Hyo-jin and Go Min-seok, known for 'Running Man' and 'Busted!'.

On the day, Liu Yihuo said, "It was my first time collaborating with a Korean production team," adding, "I tried to open all my senses and not miss anything." He also expressed gratitude, saying, "Lee Seung-gi took good care of me," and "We communicated through body language."

Regarding working with the production team that led 'Running Man' and has a solid fanbase in the Chinese-speaking region, Liu Yihuo said, "I was looking forward to working with professionals with rich experience," and "I was happy and found it interesting to travel to various Asian cities together. I could participate with peace of mind."

He continued, "The production team was truly professional. Many staff members worked hard to capture Lee Seung-gi and me. In Nepal, only scenes of us without shirts were shown, but there were directors carrying cameras and running. I wondered, 'Is this possible?' but they did it. The staff's dedication was impressive," nodding in appreciation.

Lee Seung-gi and Liu Yihuo traveled extensively across Asia for about a month, visiting Yogyakarta and Bali in Indonesia, Bangkok and Chiang Mai in Thailand, Pokhara and Kathmandu in Nepal, and Seoul, meeting fans along the way. They undertook quirky and lively missions such as paragliding, couple yoga, and cliff diving, showing their struggles and efforts.

About working with his same-age star Lee Seung-gi, Liu Yihuo said, "I felt good. At first, it was unfamiliar, but we gradually became closer. Although communication was difficult at first, we cooperated and solved issues, and later our chemistry was good. We had a connection that transcended language barriers without needing words," expressing satisfaction.

He added, "Lee Seung-gi has great stamina, and I was the type to see the overall picture," and "Lee Seung-gi couldn't dive because of his ears, but I like the sea and wanted to try. It was a complementary collaboration."

He also said, "During the missions, I realized Lee Seung-gi is an amazing person with many things to learn from. I knew he was quick-witted, but through 'Together,' I found out he is also good at tricks (laughs). I saw many different sides of him," showing affection.

Lee Seung-gi always brought medicine to the set. Liu Yihuo expressed gratitude, saying, "He carried a lot of medicine. One day, when I said my stomach was not well, he took out some stomach medicine for me."

Previously, 'Together' PD Go Min-seok said, "Experienced Lee Seung-gi showed planning and confidence, while Liu Yihuo showed quirky and spontaneous choices." Liu Yihuo said, "I don't think Lee Seung-gi is clumsy. He does his best," and "I tried to help him during filming so I wouldn't be a burden to him who cares about many things. We kept asking each other during filming," adding, "I'm sorry I couldn't help much because of my clumsy side." He added, "I was lucky to be with lucky guy Lee Seung-gi. We were always fortunate."

When asked about memorable moments, Liu Yihuo replied, "All the moments when Lee Seung-gi got me are memorable," making everyone laugh. He continued, "There are many impressive moments, but the diving moment is one of them. Everyone expected us to fail, but we succeeded, surprising everyone," recalling the experience.

He then named Chiang Mai as a memorable travel destination and boasted a special connection with broadcaster Haha. He said, "Before filming, the 'Together' director asked Haha about me. Haha praised me as a really good person. They asked how we communicate since neither of us is good at English, and Haha said we use emoticons. Then they said they couldn't believe that," laughing.

He added, "Before the sepak takraw game in Chiang Mai, I wore a T-shirt with Haha's face on it," and "I thought wearing that shirt would make me stronger, so I wore it," making everyone laugh again.

Liu Yihuo had a tough initiation into Korean variety shows, experiencing real variety for the first time. He said, "I thought I would sleep at the hotel when the cameras were off, except during filming. I thought I would elegantly open the wardrobe the next day and think, 'What should I wear today?' But it wasn't like that. I was surprised because shampoo and soap would be in the hotel, so I went there empty-handed," making everyone laugh.

Photo = Netflix

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.