Is There a Romance Brewing Between Jeon Hyun-moo and Hong Joo-yeon on 'Boss's Ears Are Donkey Ears'?

On December 22, during the broadcast of KBS 2TV's entertainment program 'Boss's Ears Are Donkey Ears' (사장님 귀는 당나귀 귀), a romantic atmosphere between MC Jeon Hyun-moo (전현무) and junior announcer Hong Joo-yeon (홍주연) was evident. The show's MC Kim Sook (김숙) and other panelists eagerly speculated about their relationship, drawing attention from viewers.

The episode featured announcer Eom Ji-in (엄지인) assessing her junior colleagues, including Kim Jin-woong (김진웅), Hong Joo-yeon, Lee Ye-won (이예원), and Jung Eun-hye (정은혜), as they prepared for their roles as pre-MCs for 'Immortal Songs' (불후의 명곡).

As Hong Joo-yeon made her entrance, the studio was quickly filled with a romantic vibe. Kim Sook remarked, "Joo-yeon doesn’t seem like just a colleague anymore," hinting at her relationship with Jeon Hyun-moo. He did not deny this, and when Park Myung-soo (박명수) expressed concern over media speculation, Jeon joked, "If you read the articles, it sounds like we’re newlyweds. They’re trying to set us up for marriage!" Recently, the 20-year age gap between Jeon and Hong has sparked interest due to their rumored romantic connection.

Adding to the playful atmosphere, Lee Soon-sil (이순실) mentioned she would gift Jeon a blanket if he got married, sharing a humorous anecdote about how she once gifted a friend a blanket that led to the birth of a son. She even teased that there are blankets for having daughters, leaving Jeon momentarily flustered.

Despite the teasing, Jeon appeared to enjoy the budding romance with Hong. When Eom Ji-in pointed out Hong's casual outfit, she defended it by saying, "I layered it!" to which Jeon supported her by saying, "It’s the first time she layered!" He was also seen laughing at a dad joke Hong prepared for the pre-MC segment.

As Jeon laughed at Hong's humor, the studio buzzed with speculation about their relationship. New guest Shin Jong-cheol (신종철), a hotel head chef, commented that they seemed to like each other. Jeon repeatedly dismissed the idea as forced, but the show continued to push the narrative of a romantic connection between him and Hong.

Notably, Jeon offered advice to Hong, which caught the attention of the MCs. They focused more on the lengthy message he sent to her and her quick reply rather than the advice itself. As the teasing continued, Jeon appeared slightly overwhelmed.

Meanwhile, Lee Chan-won (이찬원), the MC of 'Immortal Songs,' expressed excitement about Hong, prompting Park Myung-soo to quip that Jeon must have received a call from him. Lee Soon-sil even suggested she would pick out a blanket for Jeon in Dongdaemun, further encouraging the idea of his marriage. With every comment, the relationship between Jeon Hyun-moo and Hong Joo-yeon seems to be evolving, but will it develop as their colleagues hope?