On the August 16th broadcast of JTBC’s variety show “My Name Is Gabriel”, actor Ji Chang-wook appeared as the new “Gabriel”.
His journey began in Guadalajara, Mexico. Upon arrival at the airport, Ji Chang-wook appeared confused but maintained a calm demeanor.
Ji Chang-wook explained that he had a layover in Atlanta, where his flight was canceled, leaving him stranded without a flight until the next day. He hurriedly traveled to Mexico City and took a dawn flight to Guadalajara, finally arriving after about 35 hours. He expressed his eagerness to start filming right away.
Reflecting on the delay, Ji Chang-wook humorously remarked that having one less day of shooting was fortunate, considering the flight cancellation a stroke of luck or a “blessing from the gods”.
As the video continued, Ji Chang-wook was suddenly “kidnapped” by a local in Mexico. The cast commented that it must have been terrifying for him, but Ji Chang-wook admitted that he felt it was best not to resist, looking bewildered by the situation.
He then received a letter with his name on it from the driver. On the phone, there were photos of a child and a large family, with one photo showing Ji Chang-wook holding a child, a clear digital manipulation.
The cast playfully suggested that Ji Chang-wook was now a “dad” in this “Gabriel” scenario.
Ji Chang-wook was taken to a region called Tequila, where he was led to a field of unidentified plants. There, he realized that he had become a “jimador”, a worker who harvests agave, the main ingredient in Tequila. Ji Chang-wook began learning the craft of “jimador”, finding it much more challenging than he had anticipated.
Despite being theoretical in his approach, Ji Chang-wook gave his best effort, working under the scorching sun without rest for two hours, eventually becoming completely exhausted. He admitted that he did not even care to look in the mirror, saying, “I had no energy left to care about anything.”
At one point, Ji Chang-wook was seen carrying a lighter load compared to others, leading him to joke about being a victim of “evil editing”. He insisted that he had also carried larger, heavier items, which was later shown in the footage.
Ji Chang-wook confessed, “It was so tough. I think I came to the wrong place.” He reflected on a pre-interview where he mentioned wanting to show that celebrities can endure hardship too, realizing he might have made a mistake in saying that.
Despite the challenges, Ji Chang-wook expressed respect for the workers he met, referring to them as “masters in their fields”. He playfully boasted about now being qualified to drink tequila, saying it was something to brag about for the next three months.
Watching the footage, Defconn commented “He really went through a lot of hardship“, noting that it seemed like Ji Chang-wook had been dragged up a mountain before finally reaching home. Ji Chang-wook concluded by saying that he would continue to be a hardworking “jimador” and joked that he would find a way to entertain viewers without having to endure so much difficulty.
Source: Daum
