Na PD Discusses a "1 Night, 2 Days" Without Kang Ho Dong

Following the announcement by the “nation’s MC,” Kang Ho Dong of his temporary retirement due the recent tax evasion scandal, questions have been raised concerning the fate of the numerous shows that Kang Ho Dong hosts, such as “1 Night, 2 Days,” “Star King,” “Strong Heart,” and “Golden Fishery,” which depend heavily on the leadership and popularity of Kang Ho Dong.

In an interview by TVReport with ““1 Night, 2 Days” producer Na Young Seok, popularly known as “Na PD,” addresses viewers concerns.

Na PD revealed, “Truthfully, I had already suspected his decision beforehand,” and “I watched him suffering these past few days and we were having a lot of discussions.”

Na PD elaborated, “I suspected that he wanted to retire so I tried dissuading him. But Kang Ho Dong was trying to make a decision that was most like who Kang Ho Dong was, and he felt a strong responsibility towards the viewers.”

More specifically on the topic of the show “1 Night, 2 Days,” Na PD stated that since Kang Ho Dong was with the program for so long, he should be able to give a last farewell, no matter how embarrassed he feels about it.  Na PD carefully continued, “Today’s (September 9) recording was canceled and we don’t plan to record next week either. But for the recording two weeks later, we will discuss on having Kang Ho Dong do his last episode.”

On concerns over the quality of “1 Night, 2 Days” without Kang Ho Dong, Na PD stated, “Of course Kang Ho Dong was an important and large part of the show but the other members will come together tightly to produce a different kind of energy.” He continued, “As much as this is a crisis for ‘1 Night, 2 Days’, we will use this opportunity to show the maturity of our show.”

News of Kang Ho Dong’s retirement is an unpleasant addition to the recent shock that fans and viewers of “1 Night, 2 Days” had to deal with (the announcement of the show’s end early next year). While the show’s future does not look particularly bright at this moment, Na PD promises the members and staff will strive to continue strong until the end.

What do you guys think? While it was only a speculation before with Kang Ho Dong considering leaving “1 Night, 2 Days” (irrelevant to the recent tax scandal, last month), now it is a reality. How do you think the show will fare without the presence and leadership of Kang Ho Dong? What lies ahead for this beleaguered team and South Korea’s most beloved variety show?