Young K of DAY6 Wins Survival Twist on MBC Variety Show

MBC variety show "Choi U Soo San" traded its usual hiking format for an island escape survival concept, mixing comedy with tension in its latest episode.

The sixth episode aired on the 28th and followed Yu Se-yoon, Jang Dong-min, Heo Kyung-hwan, Boom, Yang Se-hyung, and DAY6's Young K as they tried to escape an island taken over by a "cat squad." The show blended variety, mystery, and action for a fresh kind of fun.

"Choi U Soo San," which recently confirmed a seven-episode extension, is widening its scope beyond hiking to include talk and comedy sketch segments. Following the advice of fortune-teller Park Seong-jun, the cast invited Young K as a guest, framed as the lucky figure who would fill in the energy the group was missing.

The members were suddenly "kidnapped" and dropped onto a mysterious island for an escape mission with a 3 million won prize on the line. They had to dodge a cat squad made up of an Asian Parkour Championship winner and a stunt team, while hunting for hints and puzzles hidden across the island in a fast-paced battle of wits.

Jang Dong-min and Young K secretly formed an alliance they called the "Juniors Union" and went after a hint hidden in the cats' house. But Heo Kyung-hwan, Boom, and Yang Se-hyung, who had been luring the cats away, took the move as a betrayal. They ended up tipping off the cats about the duo's location, and the plan fell apart. Cornered, Jang Dong-min and Young K tried to fight back with a long wooden stick, but their counterattack failed.

The competition then shifted to puzzles and keys. Heo Kyung-hwan and Yang Se-hyung pieced together a puzzle from the cats' house that revealed the captain's location, and they grabbed a key from a keyring Young K had found before rushing to the captain. The first key did not fit the boat, though, and the cast had to search again.

Yang Se-hyung eventually found the boat key and was the first to climb into the captain's truck. Young K grabbed the last seat just in time, leaving behind his "Juniors Union" partner Jang Dong-min and escaping the island. Jang Dong-min chased after the truck on a bicycle, only to be lifted out of the scene by Young K for a final laugh.

As the winner, Young K, an idol signed to JYP Entertainment, celebrated with, "Mom, Dad, I beat Dong-min hyung!" Jang Dong-min fired back, "For the crime of betraying me, I'll follow you to the ends of the earth." Then came the twist. Yang Se-hyung had to hand over the entire 3 million won prize to cover the boat fare, which left Young K with one last punchline. "At least hyung kept his loyalty," he said. "I'm walking away with nothing."