Lee Soo-geun's 'Definition of Ad-lib'... The Variety Aesthetics Created by Kim Jong-min's 'Silence' and 'Counter-narratives'

A scene has been captured where the cast of KBS 2TV's '2 Days and 1 Night' shares a discourse on variety wit and the principles of ad-libbing. In the video, Lee Soo-geun defines his comedy style with the keyword 'ad-lib' and presents a specific methodology for creating the flow of a variety show.

"Ad-lib is what kids call 'mouth' "... The Essence of Variety Defined by Lee Soo-geun

In the video, Lee Soo-geun offers his own interpretation of ad-libbing. He describes an ad-lib as "what kids call 'mouth'" and explains, "It's funny because adults think and provide such an answer. The kind of answers and words kids think of. That is exactly what an ad-lib is. Words thrown out comfortably without any thought." This is interpreted as the perspective that spontaneous speech following the flow of the scene, rather than standardized scripts or calculated responses, creates the fun in variety shows.

In response to Lee Soo-geun's explanation, the cast reacted by calling it the "standard of ad-libbing." In particular, Lee Soo-geun's remarks heightened the atmosphere on set, receiving praise such as "the greatest ad-libber in the 21st century" and even the modifier "the symbol of KBS."

The Premier-Class Comedy Created by Kim Jong-min's 'Silence' and 'Counter-narratives'

Lee Soo-geun analyzed the role of fellow cast member Kim Jong-min from a variety show perspective. He compared Kim Jong-min to "a situation where you wait endlessly at a bus stop where the bus does not stop, eventually getting exhausted and having to walk," mentioning a character trait that seems to lead a more exhausted life than others.

In particular, he named the 'silence' created by Kim Jong-min the 'Kim Jong-min effect' and emphasized the importance of the 'counter-narrative' that catches and responds to a message when it is thrown. Lee Soo-geun evaluated it as "premier-class comedy," citing that there must be a 'counter-narrative' to block a message when it is thrown. He also suggested that the silence occurring when such a flow does not mesh properly also acts as a variety show device. In this process, Lee Soo-geun highly valued it, saying, "Going with a counter-narrative that blocks when a message is thrown, this is very good."

The Theory of Slapstick Technique: "Use the terrain and relax your strength"

In the following conversation, Lee Soo-geun also mentioned the technical aspects of slapstick comedy. He advised that when performing slapstick, "being the most natural is important. Relax. Relax the strength in your body." He added that even if there is no reaction after the slapstick, the timing of lying in that spot until the end is important.

Furthermore, as a strategy to capture both safety and fun, he suggested, "Use the terrain and surroundings." He set the precondition that "it must never look dangerous to viewers or anyone watching," emphasizing, "Use the terrain and surroundings very lightly." He then shared practical know-how by suggesting to "use unexpected combos," proposing to utilize continuous movements like a "stress day combo" rather than ending with a single motion. The cast members showed an active response, comparing Lee Soo-geun's explanation to a 'lecture' and calling him "Teacher Lee Soo-geun."