tvN variety show The Village Barber is riding its viral momentum, confirming a brand-new season the moment its finale aired.
Wrapping on the 3rd, The Village Barber is a healing reality program where actors Park Bo-gum, Lee Sang-yi, and Kwak Dong-yeon run a barbershop in a rural village in Muju, Jeonbuk, bonding with residents along the way. Licensed barber Park Bo-gum handled hair, Lee Sang-yi took care of nails and front-of-house service, and Kwak Dong-yeon managed cooking and housekeeping — naturally building rock-solid teamwork in their respective roles.
The show earned rave reviews for going beyond simply running a barbershop to delicately portraying the warmth between people. Using haircut time as a bridge, the trio opened up deep conversations with locals and gradually became like family, delivering heartwarming moments. Even after filming ended, they revisited the Apsom village in Muju, showing unusual attachment that viewers found genuinely moving.
The finale captured the bittersweet goodbyes between the trio and the villagers. From framing photos with customers as gifts and handing over handwritten letters to preparing food and presents for the kids, the small gestures landed big emotional punches. The residents reciprocated with homemade dishes and heartfelt care, reaffirming the bonds the program created.
That sincerity showed up in the numbers. The Village Barber ranked No. 1 in the 20–49 demographic across all channels in its time slot for seven straight weeks and stayed near the top of buzz rankings for nine consecutive weeks. Online videos surpassed roughly 260 million cumulative views, and the show rolled out on global platforms in about 200 countries and regions, drawing widespread reactions. It also scored 9.5 on IMDb, signaling strong acclaim overseas.
After the broadcast, the Muju barbershop filming location surged as a new tourist hotspot, giving the local economy a welcome boost. Visitors poured in on both weekdays and weekends, underscoring the show’s cultural impact.
Buoyed by this success, the production team has confirmed The Village Barber Season 2 and kicked off full-scale preparations. The new season is aiming for a broadcast in the latter half of this year, teasing a broader scope and even more touching stories.