Girlfriday: It’s pretty funny how elaborate the schemes have to be now to pull off a surprise kidnapping. Javabeans: That actually makes sense, because as we ALL must know by now, merely the sight of Na PD should make you suspicious. Girlfriday: And then he spends 14 hours locked in his room getting food sneaked to him, so as not to be discovered by his kidnapees. Javabeans: From the front he’s a little obscured, but from the back it’s just Na PD. The most hilarious part is the cutaway to Na PD, dressed in a mask and hat in an attempt to hide his identity, getting on a flight to Phuket. Girlfriday: Pfft, the caption: “Kyung-pyo, shooting his own hidden camera.” They goof off all the way to their flight, and then the footage resumes on the beach at a cast party. He says it hesitantly, adding, “If you think it’ll be too much of a burden…” but they’re immediately onboard, and Kyung-pyo even bought a camera of his own, making it easy for them. Javabeans: While they’re waiting at the airport, the “spy” producer tests the waters by saying that they’re shooting them right now as behind-the-scenes footage to include in DVD bonus materials. In Answer Me 1988 terms, that’s Jung-hwan, Jung-bong, Sun-woo, and Taek. Girlfriday: Our cast members are: Ryu Joon-yeol, 31 Ahn Jae-hong, 31 Go Kyung-pyo, 27 and maknae Park Bo-gum, 24. They just arrive to the happy fans and greet them, thinking this is vacation. Javabeans: Yeah, the guys each show up in turn and have no idea anything is afoot. I love that the Youths camera can just hide among the paparazzi and blend in as the stars arrive. Fast-forward to the end of Answer Me 1988, and the day that the cast is set to leave for their “reward trip” to Phuket. Girlfriday: Shin PD gives no argument, either because he’s too bleary-eyed from editing his show, or because he knows it’s futile. Javabeans: He’s so calculating yet blasé about it: “Won-ho, either you or Dong-il hyung can just take the kids aside, say you’re taking them for massages or something, and then I’ll kidnap them or whatever.” I mean, I guess it still technically is, but it’s Na PD organizing the whole event all in an effort to camouflage his kidnapping plan! I thought that trip was from the station to reward them for the ratings. My jaw just dropped to see that he is the one organizing the “reward vacation” for the Answer Me crew, and informing Shin PD of the details. Girlfriday: Wait, is Na PD masterminding the whole cast and crew trip to Phuket?! Just to kidnap the boys for his own show? According to my calendar, it’s right between the airings of Episodes 10 and 11 - so enough into the broadcast that the drama was already a runaway hit, but still with a ways to go. Javabeans: Maybe for name recognition? This season starts out with Na PD dropping in on the editing room in December 2015 while PD Shin Won-ho is working on an episode of Answer Me 1988.

Girlfriday: Woohoo, new season of Youths Over Flowers! Though how come past seasons are named after countries and this one is named after a continent? Technically this season takes place in Namibia, but it’s being called Youths Over Flowers in Africa. 278 FebruFebruYouths Over Flowers in Africa: Episode 1 by javabeans

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