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| Former football player Ahn Jung-hwan poses during the online media conference for MBC reality show, "Unmanned Island," Monday. Courtesy of MBC |
By Lee Gyu-lee
Former football star Ahn Jung-hwan has taken on various roles in reality shows since he successfully made the transition to TV with "Law of the Jungle" in 2013. On MBC's reality show, "Unmanned Island," Ahn has taken on the role of a person, trying to settle on the remote island of Hwangdo in South Chungcheong Province.
"My journey (on the island) has brought me so much enjoyment... challenging me and allowing me to feel a sense of accomplishment. This show has made me refreshed," Ahn said during an online media conference for the show, Monday.
"Unmanned Island" stars celebrities who are close friends in real life, trying to live off the grid, in the wild. The friends are left in a remote area to find their own way to survive.
Ahn, who starred in the pilot episodes, began the new project this month as the host on Hwangdo ― the newest and one of only two residents on the island ― inviting his celebrity friends to take part in living in the wild, and showcasing his survival skills.
"The hardest part of living on Hwangdo is that there's no bathroom, so I can't take showers," he said. "It's physically challenging because I have to scavenge for food and build my own shelter."
However, he acknowledged that nature on the island allows him to forget about the hardships of living in the wild. "Whenever I go to Hwangdo, I feel like I'm washing away the worries and negative energy that I get in the city… It's physically hard but mentally, it's refreshing," he said, adding that he hopes the viewers can also get the same feeling from watching the show.
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| Scenes from 'Unmanned Island' / Courtesy of MBC |
He said one of his favorite things was the abundant resources that help sustain his self-sufficient life on the island. "There are a lot of things to eat, things that are natural," he said. "Everything about the island is new to me, and the resources I can get change from season to season, which is something I love."
The show began with pilot episodes last July, scoring the highest viewership ratings ever for a pilot ― 8.6 percent. It was picked up as a regular series in October last year.
"Unmanned Island" saw its ratings drop after its premiere, but they have recently picked up, reaching 7.8 percent for the latest episode, aired Monday, the highest to date.
Ahn noted that he felt more people were becoming interested in the show. "I'm not familiar with the ratings so I can't tell if they're high or not, but people have started coming to me and asking about Unmanned Island. I could feel that it's creating a buzz," he said. "My goal and ambition are for it to become the highest-rated show among MBC's other programs that are currently airing."
Adding that his struggles on the island are paying off with the show's growing popularity, he said: "These are tough times, and people are not smiling. I'll do my best so that this show can offer laughter and comfort to the viewers."
"Unmanned Island" airs Mondays at 9:20 P.M. on MBC.
