Yoo Jae-suk Becomes a Toll Booth Attendant After Winning 20th Award

On February 8, 2025, MBC's show '놀면 뭐하니?' (How Do You Play?) featured Yoo Jae-suk and Joo Woo-jae as they traveled across highways to meet those working during the Lunar New Year holiday. This episode aired shortly after Yoo Jae-suk received his 20th award at the '2024 SBS Entertainment Awards'. Joo Woo-jae humorously remarked that if he were Yoo Jae-suk, he could rest easy when the time comes, to which Yoo Jae-suk jokingly replied, 'Are we talking about that already? I guarantee you’ll go first.'

The duo aimed to meet workers who were also on duty during the holiday. Upon entering a rest area, they encountered Park Jin-joo and Lee Mi-joo, while Ha Ha and Lee Yi-kyung were working at another location. Yoo Jae-suk received congratulations from both citizens and his fellow cast members. When asked about his feelings on winning 20 awards, he humorously requested, 'Can we keep it down since I didn’t win at MBC?' He reflected on how he won his first award at KBS in 2005 and now, 20 years later, he has 20 awards, which he found quite remarkable.

Next, Yoo Jae-suk and Joo Woo-jae visited the Korea Expressway Corporation, where they expressed surprise at how busy they were during the holiday. Yoo Jae-suk mentioned, 'This is the first time I’ve been this busy during the holiday. I haven’t spent much time with my family.' Joo Woo-jae added that he visited his niece's house but noted that the usual mass migration during the holidays seemed to be absent this year, as the roads were unusually clear.

At the Korea Expressway Corporation, they were astonished to see a monitor displaying the highway conditions. The head of the department confirmed that they were operating for 10 days during the holiday to ensure the public could travel comfortably. The two then entered the traffic control center and even attempted to write messages for the highway's electronic billboards, with Joo Woo-jae creating a warning about maintaining a safe distance.

As they moved to the toll booth, Yoo Jae-suk commented on the long underground passage, noting the cold winter air. Once at the toll booth, they greeted drivers, but due to the toll exemption during the holiday, they were not collecting fees. The citizens were thrilled to see Yoo Jae-suk, expressing their joy with heart signs, which helped ease his initial nervousness.

Yoo Jae-suk shared, 'I usually pass through toll booths, but it’s fun to see the people passing by.' Meanwhile, Joo Woo-jae confidently claimed he could handle the job without mistakes, only to make an error moments later, causing him to call for help. He humorously remarked that his heart nearly burst from the stress.

In contrast, Yoo Jae-suk welcomed drivers with kindness, prompting a staff member to suggest he would win an award for best customer service. He enthusiastically announced to each driver, 'Today, the toll is free!' Joo Woo-jae teased him, asking if he knew the drivers personally.

Joo Woo-jae felt a bit envious as none of the passing drivers recognized him, while Yoo Jae-suk was greeted warmly. As a vehicle passed, a driver jokingly remarked, 'Oh, I must have taken a wrong turn,' to which Joo Woo-jae candidly responded that he would probably think the same.

Yoo Jae-suk was startled by a speeding vehicle, commenting, 'That driver is going too fast. They should slow down, even if they’re not using Hi-Pass.' A staff member warned that the toll exemption would end at midnight, and Yoo Jae-suk noted that this could lead to accidents.

He inquired about the most challenging part of the job, learning that rude customers often yelled or threw money during busy times. Later, he noticed many drivers not wearing seatbelts and urged them to buckle up, emphasizing that it is mandatory for safety.

After their shift at the toll booth, the pair moved on to work with the highway patrol. Yoo Jae-suk asked the patrol staff if they had to work during the holidays, and they confirmed that some do take time off while others continue working. When he expressed sympathy for those who couldn’t rest, one officer replied that they enjoyed working. Joo Woo-jae jokingly asked if the officer was married, to which the staff nodded, leading to a light-hearted discussion about married men enjoying their work.

Yoo Jae-suk humorously pointed out that while they might say they enjoy working, it must be tough to miss family time during the holidays. Joo Woo-jae noted that Yoo Jae-suk seemed to be in good spirits, suggesting that perhaps this was a trait of married men. Despite the banter, Yoo Jae-suk expressed his disappointment about not being able to spend the holiday with family, bringing laughter to the group.