'Daddy and I' shows true father-son relationship

Eric Nam, top, and Roy Kim show their photographs taken with their fathers at the press conference for tvN’s “Daddy and I.” / Yonhap

By Kim Jae-heun

“Daddy and I,” a new show that premieres Thursday on cable channel tvN, will deal with father-son relationships, featuring celebrities and their parents.

The television series casts seven stars of various age groups ― from 20s to 40s ― including singer Eric Nam, actor Yoon Park and comedian Nam Hee-suk, who travel with their fathers. The show aims to point out what in modern society has created a gap in a family relationship.

“I wanted to deal with a story about family and thought perhaps fathers and sons have the more distant and awkward relationship,” said director Park Hee-yeon during a press conference at the Glad Hotel in Yeouido, western Seoul, Friday. “I’ve talked to a person who has worked at a travel agency for some 20 years and he told me he has never seen a father and a son travel together, not even once.”

In the reality show, the cast decide their own destinations without the production crew’s interference.

Park said the show’s fun derives from the awkwardness between the fathers and sons and she had witnessed many similarities while filming the families.

“Roy Kim said he knew nothing about his dad during the pre-interview,” Park said. “I expected them to walk in silence and be separate throughout the trip. But Roy said that they did not have as an uncomfortable time as he had predicted and I thought it would be pretty much similar with the others, in reality.”

Roy Kim, who went to Laos with his father, said: “My father is a professor and because he is a direct person on ordinary occasions, I thought his lectures would be boring. But he was actually a fun person. I learned that he could be like a friend and a brother.”

The singer said it was the first time he had travelled and taken photos with his father. Rapper Bobby’s father refused to join the show at first but decided to participate because he wanted to know what it feels like to become a star like his son _ walking uncomfortably on the street with many people recognizing him.

In the end, all the stars agreed that they want to travel again with their fathers, although no one was sure when that would be.

“I want to go again if I get a chance, but my father has a different opinion,” Eric Nam said. “He said the trip was too long. He thinks three days is enough and told me to go with mother next time.”

Park said: “We feel uncomfortable with dads, not because we have a problem. It is just that we don’t have much time to spend together. But when we do get time and things become normal again, that shows what a true family is.”

The reality show airs at 11 p.m.