'Backpacker 2' Baek Jong-won Votes for Meaningful Meal... Ratings + Digital
tvN's "Backpacker 2" is a program about an extreme catering team that travels in a backpacker car with the concept of "wherever we go, the kitchen is where we go. Led by Baek Jong-won, Lee Soo-geun, Heo Kyung-hwan, Bo Bo-hyun, and Ko Kyung-pyo showcase their perfect chemistry in front of a meaningful meal every week.
Returning after a two-year hiatus, Season 2 of the show has added authenticity and warm laughter with each meaningful visit, starting with the first broadcast of a visit to a fishing village in Maguizi, Taean, followed by a visit to the Air Force Military Band featuring actor Lee Do-hyun, a trip to a national athlete's village, the first children's feeding mission challenge, a meeting with the Ministry of National Defense's Hazmat team, and a trip to the busiest fire station in Korea. The members' journey to fulfill their mission to serve a meaningful meal adds to the entertainment value and keeps viewers glued to their TVs.
The buzz around "Backpacker 2" is also reflected in the numbers. In addition to the record-breaking average ratings of 5.4% and peak ratings of 8.9% for season 2, the show has been the No. 1 show in its time slot for six consecutive weeks since its premiere, including cable, in tvN's targeted male and female 2049 viewers and household ratings (Nielsen Korea, based on households in the Seoul metropolitan area). The total number of digital contents related to "Backpacker 2" has reached nearly 42 million views (YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok combined), demonstrating strong topicality. Among them, Bae Bo-hyun's performance shorts, which showcase his unerring gun-twirling skills, have been viewed by 6.32 million people, and Go Kyung-pyo's cute video of him welcoming guests to Dalmyeon has also received a lot of attention, with 2.56 million views. The video of Lee Do-hyun, who is a member of the Air Force Honor Guard, has also been posted on YouTube's in-ranked videos, proving its explosive popularity.
The viewers are also responding to the extreme culinary team. Viewers are responding to the chemistry between the members of Season 2, who are united around Baek Jong-won, and are calling it "a meeting of workaholics." They also said, "The sincere meal treats for the exhumation team, firefighters, and others were both touching and entertaining," "It was great to visit the Jincheon National Athletes' Village and cheer on the athletes with Baek Jong-won's specialty," and "The meeting of backpackers and the military is something I believe in." In the recent episode of the fire station, it was revealed that the firefighters who fight fires day and night are paid 4,000 won per meal, which caused a lot of controversy regarding the treatment of firefighters.
Before appearing in season 2, Baek Jong-won said, "I will do my best to serve a warm and heartfelt meal to the grateful people who support our society from behind the scenes with the best of my heart." The sincerity of the program is reflected in its viewers, who are eagerly anticipating the next installment.
Meanwhile, the seventh episode of 'Backpacker 2' will be broadcast on July 7 at 7:40 p.m. as they travel to the world's No. 1 Incheon International Airport.
