In The Soop: Friendcation

Imagine taking a break from the hustle and bustle of life; spending time in the countryside, sleeping n while it rains outside, scaling and filleting freshly caught fish, and spending the night around a campfire with your friends. BTS’ own reality show, “BTS: In the SOOP”, turned this fantasy into reality.

“BTS: In the SOOP” premiered in August 2020 and went on to have a second season in October 2021. The concept of “In the SOOP” revolved around the septet taking a break from their busy schedules and living in a more peaceful setting. “In the SOOP: Friendcation” follows this same theme, but instead of BTS, this season features band member V and his friends Park Seo Joon, Park Hyung Sik, Choi Woo Shik, and Peakboy, more commonly known as ‘Wooga Squad.’

The first episode kicks off with the Wooga Squad discussing the itinerary of their trip. The trip begins with Seo Joon, Peakboy, and V, as the other two members had previous acting schedules they needed to attend. As Seo Joon takes the wheel and V spins the tunes, the three of them casually talk about the weather, music, and what they would like to eat. They stop to have makguksu and suyuk before reaching their accommodations. After resting in their holiday home for a while, they visit the grocery store for some supplies, which included lots of food. Afterwards, the resident chef, Seo Joon, cooked a scrumptious steak dinner. The trio goes on to play board games and have some snacks until Woo Shik arrives soon afterward.

The second episode begins on day two of the trip, where we observe Hyung Sik, who arrived in the early morning. Seo Joon wakes up and gets breakfast started, preparing tteokguk for his friends. Everyone relishes the rice cake soup along with coffee before getting ready for the activity of the day, deep sea fishing. When they finally head out into the wild waters of the rough ocean, they get out on the deck, where each one manages to happily catch a string of halibut.

Upon returning, they got the opportunity to taste their catch and were delighted by the sweetness of the fish despite the raw bone-in texture. After taking a nap, they decide to go for an indoor swim in the pool and have dinner around a campfire. They talk about how they may never get the opportunity to travel like this again and explain how the five of them became friends in the first place. After their heart-to-heart, the episode wraps up with a plan to watch Woo Shik’s drama, “Our Beloved Summer”, later that evening.

As the third episode begins, we return to the night of day two. The beer-can chicken they made from scratch is ready and they gather to watch Woo Shik’s drama. By the end of it, Woo Shik is unanimously declared the rom-com king. The Wooga Squad have quite a technical discussion about finding the right level of sentiment to portray a character. The actors agree that there is a certain catharsis in acting out difficult emotions. Peakboy also talks about how Seo Joon encouraged him when he was having a hard time.

Later, they get the chance to meet j-hope over a video call on V’s phone. After that, with a serious mood set, the karaoke begins, and they sing sad songs and ballads. They chat in their giant makeshift bed, discussing their goals for 2022. V hopes he won’t be sad in the coming year, and the guys comfort him. The group wakes up on day three and head toward the beach. They ponder over their bucket lists and what it means to rest well. They eagerly reach the beach, excited to see the winter sea. All of them agree that they will remember this trip for a long time.

Episode four starts off with Wooga Squad at the ice skating rink. They play on the ice for a while before leaving and cooking dinner back at the house. Hyung Sik suggests that Peakboy write a song for this trip, a song which captures all their feelings. They consider the possibility of “In the SOOP: Friendcation” having a second season. Los Angeles seems like a great idea, and if the company doesn’t agree, they would do it themselves.

Hyung Sik, unfortunately, had to leave early, so he exits for his ride, and as the sun rises, V is appointed breakfast chef for the day. However, the soup he makes turns out to be a tad bit too salty; poor V! All is forgiven as they eat corn dogs and pack up as interviews from each of them are shown. Peakboy insists that because they had fun, the show was a success. Before ending the episode, we get a glimpse of the making of the introduction song for this season of the show, which included humorous attempts of harmony by the whole Wooga Squad.

Another enjoyable reality show, where we get to see the Wooga Squad in their own element, without any pretense. The infectious laughter and the heartful talks made the show feel sincere and pleasant to watch. If there is a season two to this friendcation, we cannot wait to watch it!

Written by: Pluto

Edited by: Cassie

Designed by: Achan

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