SBS's new variety show, 'Beopryun Road: The Monk and the Guest,' is taking control of both living-room TV and OTT platforms, sparking an unrelenting box-office-style surge in popularity. The India road trip story featuring five cast members—including the nation's mentor Beopryun 스님 and No Hong-cheol and Lee Ju-bin—is going beyond run-of-the-mill entertainment, offering viewers heavy comfort and moments of reflection.
Simultaneous Domination of TV and OTT… Reaches No. 1 on Netflix's Variety Rankings
'Beopryun Road' opened right after broadcast in second place in the variety category on Netflix's 'Today's Top 10 Korea' series, then built momentum through word of mouth and surged boldly to take No. 1. It also climbed to as high as No. 4 on the overall rankings, proving its strong ripple effect.
Demand from living-room viewers is just as intense. The Feb. 26 episode surpassed a peak rating of 3.9% per minute based on Nielsen Korea, and in the 2049 target viewing rating—one of the advertising industry's key metrics—it secured the No. 1 spot for Tuesday prime-time variety at the same time slot, building a sense of empathy that spans all generations.
Producer Ryu Ji-hwan said, "It's a concept that combines an original figure like Beopryun 스님 and a live Q&A with the format of a trip," adding, "I was confident that the unfamiliar scenery of Kolkata, India would lead to the cast members' sincere stories." He shared his production intent.
"When You're Anxious, Let It Be—"… A Clear Answer That Made Lee Ju-bin Break Down in Tears
In the most recent episode, the journey to Bodh Gaya—the world's largest Buddhist sacred site—was featured. In particular, the one-on-one live Q&A between actor Lee Ju-bin, who grabbed her first leading role after a decade in obscurity, and Beopryun 스님 moved viewers to tears.
Lee Ju-bin said, "Even though I achieved a long-cherished dream, the feeling of anxiety won't go away, and I don't know what I should do to be happy," and poured out her private struggles. In response, Beopryun 스님 said, "What you want is bound to change all the time, but when you try to find a fixed answer, it's frustrating," adding, "Being hard on yourself is self-abuse, so if you're anxious, just leave it as it is and let it be." With this warm insight, Lee Ju-bin spilled out the tears she had been holding back, regaining a lighter smile.
Meanwhile, the show also revealed the grand Great Stupa at the Mahabodhi Temple, where internal filming has been permitted for the first time in a variety program. The sincere life journey unfolding in chaos on Indian soil airs every Tuesday night at 9 p.m. on SBS.
