Ahn to lead automobile program

By Kim Jae-heun

Former national football player Ahn Jeong-hwan has a new career as a TV personality. He is everywhere on TV from a cooking-variety program to a parenting reality series. Recently he was invited to take over the new emcee role in season 7 of “Top Gear Korea,” the Korean adaptation of BBC’s popular Top Gear show.

Although, the football star has no experience directly related to the automobile industry, the main producer chose Ahn for the role with the hope that the former athlete would appeal to the hearts and minds of car lovers as well as general viewers.

“What is special in the new season is that we added one more host to make it four in total,” said producer Choi Young-rak during the press conference at the CGV movie theater in Yeouido, Seoul, last Friday. “Our expectations are that our new MC will add some entertaining elements to the show to help our viewers enjoy it even more.”

Ahn said he decided to join the show because of his love for high-end cars when he was a football star. He also said that he spent a lot of money purchasing super cars but that he hated driving fast.

“I hope that my appearance on the show can help those who own super cars but have limited information about the vehicles they drive,” said Ahn.

Asked if he feels comfortable about hosting such a popular show, Ahn said he would just act naturally.

“I sometimes feel that I am not prepared for the programs in which I appear. I usually find that things don’t go the way I intend and I feel awkward when that happens,” said Ahn.

Kim Jin-pyo, another emcee of Top Gear Korea agreed that Ahn enjoys participating in the show and he barely comes prepared but still manages to play his role as an entertainer.

Ahn debuted on the entertainment scene in 2013 on a reality-documentary show “Law of the Jungle” in its Himalaya episode. He has appeared in 10 shows and he is a permanent emcee in three of them.

“Honestly, I think it’s funny that people find me charming. I think it is the other way around; people are charming for finding me joyful. I don’t know why I am hot on the scene now,” said Ahn.