Weight Loss Showdown: ‘Pig Team’ vs ‘Anchovy Team’ – Who Shed Pounds on MBC’s ‘놀면 뭐하니?’

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[Sports Today reporter Kim Tae-hyung] Haha, Heo Kyung-hwan and Lalal couldn’t shed as many calories as they ate, but the Pig Team’s camaraderie delivered plenty of laughs.

The March 28 episode of MBC’s Hangout with Yoo? followed Yoo Jae-suk, Haha, Heo Kyung-hwan, Joo Woo-jae, Lee Yong-jin and Lalal on an “eat-and-lose” meetup — a lighthearted journey of indulging and then trying to burn it off.

Nielsen Korea reported the episode earned a 3.4% household rating in the Seoul metropolitan area. Ratings among viewers aged 20–54, a core measure reflecting shifting media consumption, hit 2.1%, keeping the show at the top of Saturday variety programming. The episode’s highest one-minute rating — the cast laughing together as they promised a next meetup — peaked at 5.1% in the Seoul area.

Dressed in drag as the relay’s Mrs. Yujeni, Yoo Jae-suk arrived in pink and leaned into the gag. Self-care–obsessed “Yura mom” Lalal and “Yoonjae mom” Lee Yong-jin were waiting when he arrived, soon joined by Haha, “Hwani mom” Heo Kyung-hwan and “Janghun mom” Joo Woo-jae. Yoo teased Haha about his protruding stomach, and Haha shot back, “That’s the belly of my passion!” He then ribbed Mrs. Yujeni’s look, quipping it was exactly the kind of appearance men would hate, drawing big laughs.

The cast began by weighing in. Joo Woo-jae registered 75 kg (165.3 lb), Heo Kyung-hwan 79.3 kg (174.8 lb), Lee Yong-jin 75.75 kg (167.0 lb) and Haha 74.95 kg (165.2 lb). Yoo Jae-suk stood out at 60.5 kg (133.4 lb), prompting playful envy from the others. Lalal fretted about the weight of her nose job before the scale showed 77 kg (169.8 lb). A recent report that Lalal had dropped from 77 kg to 74 kg in two weeks was later corrected, drawing more attention.

Determined to enjoy themselves, the group set aside scale anxiety and dug in. Lee scolded Haha for obsessively ordering zero-calorie drinks, while small eater Joo Woo-jae said he was full after only a little. Heo spread a running joke that you float if you take off your shoes. After the meal, everyone had put on weight; Lalal jumped from 77 kg to 79.9 kg (176.2 lb), a 2.9 kg (6.4 lb) gain that stunned the group.

It was time to burn off the excess. But once the walkers hit a food-filled market, they couldn’t resist sampling more. Fortunately, the walking did help most of them lose weight, and buoyed by that success they headed to Sansjang. Yoo, Joo and Lee formed the Anchovy Team, while Haha, Heo and Lalal became the Pig Team and tackled calorie-burning games. Embracing the bit, Haha dubbed himself the black pig, Heo the white pig and Lalal the wild boar, calling themselves the “Three Pig Sisters.” Heo’s rounded midsection — a far cry from his trim days — became a running joke.

The shorter Pig Team struggled against the lankier Anchovy Team. In a leg-splitting contest, Heo battled with his shorter limbs. Haha tried to help by stretching Heo’s socks — a joking “pig claw extension” — but the team still lost. During the challenge, a comic misunderstanding about Yoo’s gender briefly erupted: while assisting Yoo with the leg test, Haha touched Yoo’s lower body and teased, “Sis, what’s that?” Flustered, Yoo protested, “No — I put money in there,” but the remark sent the cast buzzing about a “sister’s secret.”

After all the effort, the episode closed with one last meal. At the weigh-in before the restaurant, Yoo, Joo and Lee had all lost weight. But Haha, Heo and Lalal had gained. Despite eating and exercising together, only the Anchovy Team slimmed down while the Pig Team ended up heavier. Lalal shrugged it off, saying, “That’s just my body type — if we walk back it’ll come off again.” The group vowed to slim down and meet again, leaving viewers laughing as they planned the next gathering.

The preview for the next episode teased Kimhae’s “Crown Prince” lookalike Yang Sang-guk arriving with bodyguards Yoo Jae-suk and Joo Woo-jae and royal dogs Haha and Heo, wielding power in a playful sketch that grabbed attention. MBC’s Hangout with Yoo? airs Saturdays at 6:30 p.m.

[Sports Today reporter Kim Tae-hyung ent@stoo.com]
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