In the episode of KBS2’s ‘Mr. House Husband Season 2’, which aired on August 15, Hwanhee took his cousin Lee Jang-woo on an outing for his mother.
When Lee Jang-woo visited Hwanhee’s home, he playfully criticized his cousin, saying, “I watched ‘Mr. House Husband,’ and there are so many problems. Why are you treating Auntie like that?” He continued, “You’ve been such a stereotypical tough guy since you were young. I got angry seeing how tough you were with Auntie. Since I was the youngest, I grew up being affectionate, so I came here to show you how to treat Auntie.”
Hwanhee’s marriage also became a topic of conversation. Lee Jang-woo immediately offered to introduce him to a friend of his wife Jo Hye-won, who was born in 1994. Hwanhee appeared hesitant because of the 12-year age gap, joking, “Then I’ll get heavily criticized and have to leave the show.” Lee Jang-woo tried to persuade him, saying, “My parents have a 20-year age difference.”
Lee Yo-won asked Hwanhee whether he had any thoughts of getting married, and he replied, “It would be a lie to say I don’t.” When Eun Ji-won asked why he wanted to get married, Hwanhee explained, “At my age, when someone asks whether I’ve ever been married, I sometimes think saying, ‘I got married and went through some circumstances,’ might be better than saying I’ve never gotten married.”
Lee Jang-woo later shared memories with his aunt, who had lovingly cared for him when he was young, showing an affectionate bond that was almost like that between a mother and son. When he suggested, “I want to take Auntie out today. There are so many amazing places around here,” she immediately agreed to go out. Hwanhee showed his jealousy, saying, “The mother I know had to be persuaded several times before she would go anywhere. I’m a little hurt.”
His mother’s affection for Lee Jang-woo continued throughout the trip. She focused on taking care of her nephew, from snacks to traditional health supplements, leaving Hwanhee unable to hide his disappointment. Lee Jang-woo then arranged a flower-viewing outing for his aunt, who loves flowers, and thoughtfully prepared a parasol, a portable fan and ice water. Hwanhee’s mother even linked arms with Lee Jang-woo and joked, “I should ask Jang-woo’s mom if we can switch sons.”
After enjoying the flowers, the three headed to a glamping site. Lee Jang-woo had prepared abalone from early in the morning for his aunt, serving a generous meal that included abalone porridge, spicy abalone salad and grilled abalone. He also remembered to bring a hula hoop, one of his aunt’s favorite activities.
During the meal, the three also opened up about their family. Lee Jang-woo expressed his affection for his aunt, saying, “When I saw Auntie as a child, she always felt like my mother. She never once said anything unpleasant to me.”
He also spoke sincerely about Hwanhee. Lee Jang-woo said, “I watched ‘Mr. House Husband’ and saw my cousin crying sadly. To me, he is a huge star. Our family became happier because of him, and I often thought that I wanted to become someone as wonderful as him.” He confessed that he had admired Hwanhee since childhood. In particular, he recalled, “It was the first time I had ever seen my cousin, who was always so strong, cry. My mother saw him crying and cried too.”
Remembering his grandmother, who recently passed away, Lee Jang-woo also carefully considered his aunt’s feelings. Hwanhee’s mother became emotional and said, “I’m grateful to both my son and Jang-woo. There couldn’t be anything happier than this.” Hwanhee, meanwhile, revealed plans to organize a special “Hwanhee Tour” for his mother and family, showing a more caring side of himself.
Meanwhile, Lee Jang-woo left the MBC variety show ‘I Live Alone’ last year after marrying Jo Hye-won in November 2025, ending his six-year run on the program. His final episode, which featured his wedding, aired in December last year. His appearance on ‘Mr. House Husband’ marks his first appearance on an observational variety show since leaving ‘I Live Alone.’
Sources: Naver