It's become popular in South Korea these days to see celebrities try their hand at country living.

Entertainer Jung Hyun-moo (left) and comedian Park Na-rae appeared on a recent episode of MBC's reality show “I Live Alone.” The two went on a day trip to the countryside and spent the day like locals. [MBC]

tvN's reality show “Seafood” shows how celebrities live their daily lives in a small fishing village. [TVN]

Entertainer Jung Hyun-moo and comedian Park Na-rae recently escaped the hustle and bustle of the city and spent a day in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, as part of their reality show, “I Live Alone.” Dressed in loud floral T-shirts and mompei pants, the traditional attire of rural grandmothers, the pair spent the day like locals, harvesting their own crops, grilling pork belly, and splashing cold tap water on each other's backs to beat the heat. The episode, which featured Jung and Park's “Jeongkangsu,” briefly garnered 9.6% viewership. “Jeongkangsu” is a new word that combines the traditional Korean festivals “Jeongkangsu” and “Jeongsangsu.” Chongmeans countryside in Korean and vacance means vacation in French.

The episode helped the reality show regain its coveted number one spot in a Gallup Korea poll of popular TV shows.

“Director Park is aware of trends. She was the one who suggested this episode. While filming, we found that young people these days are crazy about cheonggangsu,” the show's director Heo Han told the JoongAng Ilbo, a subsidiary of Korea JoongAng Ilbo, in a phone interview.

Following this trend, several TV shows themed around Shanshan have recently started.

MBC's “Crash Landing on You” features a cast of Korean-American celebrities, including Park Jun-young, a member of the K-pop boy band G.O.D., Brian, a former member of the male K-pop duo Fly to the Sky, and Johnny of the boy band NCT, and depicts their struggles as they try to adapt to rural life.

tvN's “Seafood” is a reality show set in a small fishing village, where actresses such as Yeom Jung-ah and Ahn Eun-jin cook dishes using fresh ingredients from the sea.

Boy band 2PM members Jun., Nickhun, and Wooyoung (from left) traveled to Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, and the footage of their trip was uploaded to their official YouTube channel. [JYP]

Another tvN program, “The Globe Buzz,” features young female cast members in their early 20s, including IVE member Ahn Yu-jin and rapper Lee Yong-ji. HanokHanok, a traditional Korean house, in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province. They lay down on the wooden floor of the hanok to rest and recharge their energy.

Ahn Yu-jin (left) of girl group IVE and rapper Lee Yong-ji take a break in a hanok, a traditional Korean house, on tvN's reality show “Globe Bloom Bloom.” [TVN]

Jin, a member of the boy band BTS, has decided to appear in MBC's “Half-Star Hotel in Lost Island” as his first public appearance since being discharged from military service. The show is about renovating an abandoned house on a remote island into a hotel, with Jin appearing as a guest and other celebrities appearing as staff members. The specific broadcast date has not yet been decided.

It has been confirmed that singer Lim Young Woong will be appearing in some episodes of tvN's popular reality show “Three Meals a Day.” The show's main concept is similar to “seafood.”

YouTube is full of “jeongkangsu”-themed videos, including one on the official channel of girl group Aespa, in which members can be seen making a fire to roast pork belly and competing to see who can throw a rubber shoe the furthest.

Singer Lim Young-woong will appear on the reality show “Three Meals a Day.” [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Though rubber shoes have gone out of fashion, they were common footwear in the 1950s and 1960s.The footage reveals a completely different side to the four-piece girl group, known for their charismatic performances on stage.

Boy band 2PM members Jun.K, Nickhun, and Wooyoung recently traveled to Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, and uploaded a video of their trip to the group's official YouTube channel. The three were surprised to find that there were almost no street lights or convenience stores near their destination.

On Instagram alone, there are about one million photos posted with the hashtag “Chongkangsu.” In these photos, people are wearing the comfortable Monpei pants. Makgeolli (Rice Wine) Women living in rural areas often wear “monpei pants” when working in the fields or rice paddies, as they are stretchy and easy to wash. Some women also enjoy the view of the rice paddies to relax.

“This opportunity trend coincides with the Harmanennial trend,” said Lee Eun-hee, a consumer studies professor at Inha University. Harumae“Harmania” is a nickname for grandmothers in Korean, and the word millennials. Thanks to the popularity of “Harmania”, Yakwa (fried honey cookies) and Young Gen Unlike in the past, red bean paste sweets have become popular among young people recently.

“The younger generation may find the countryside to be something different and unique. It's a place where they can relax and take lots of good photos,” Lee added.

Cultural critic Jeong Deok-hyun pointed out, “In the past, there were reality shows that were filmed in the countryside, such as 'Two Days & One Night' and 'Family Vacation,' but the difference between variety shows of the past and today is that they are based on the theme of chance. Variety shows these days don't ask the cast members to complete specific tasks, but rather they just get together and have fun.”

“Viewers find it therapeutic to see celebrities goofing around in these situations,” he continued.

“With prices and the exchange rate rising, filming TV shows in rural and fishing villages could be a cost-saving alternative,” Chong added.

Huang Ji-young [kjdculture@joongang.co.kr]