Na Young-seok Promotes 'Slow Living' in New Show

Producer Na Young-seok talks at a press junket for his new TV show "Little House in the Forest" in Seoul on Wednesday.

Na Young-seok, the star producer of hugely popular reality shows including "Grandpas Over Flowers", "Three Meals a Day", and "Youn's Kitchen", has trained his sights on the "slow living" movement with his new program.

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The first episode of "Little House in the Forest" will be aired on Friday. "The show allows viewers to focus only on themselves and nature without any distraction", Na told reporters Wednesday. "I wanted to show to busy people in the cities that there is another way of living, a slow-paced and more leisurely one".

He said his aim was not to make viewers laugh. "This may seem boring to some people, because the quiet and the sound of the breeze and running water in the forest are the main features of this show", he admitted.

Actors So Ji-sub and Park Shin-hye voluntarily isolate themselves from the rest of the world, living in small houses in the forest on Jeju Island without electricity, running water or gas.

The production team carries out a "happiness test", giving them simple missions such as "Wake up to the rising sun in the morning", or "Do just one thing at any one time", and later ask them if they feel happy achieving it.

"I was told to do just one thing at any one time. Soon I discovered myself cooking while looking at my phone and listening to music. I felt that I could really focus on myself when I was doing just one thing", Park said.

It is So's first regular appearance on an entertainment show since he was part of the team that crossed the Korea Strait in an SBS program in 2000. "I agreed to it because the life in this program is similar to my real life", he said.

Na made everyone laugh when he added, "So lives like a monk in real life".

"My life outside acting is so simple –- eating, watching TV and reading books sometimes. I feel happy when I play music, and I'm the happiest just before I fall asleep", So said.

"Don't you sometimes feel that you want to be all on your own?" Na asked. "You get told off by your girlfriend or boss if you have your phone turned off, or stay away from your messenger app. I hope viewers can find some comfort and vicarious pleasure in watching these actors take a retreat. This will be a great program to fall asleep to on Friday night".