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| Photo=Coupang Play |
Coupang Play’s new variety program, Kang Ho-dong’s Neighborhood Bookstore, which premiered on the 6th, centers on Hokrates (Kang Ho-dong): an INFP bookstore owner with a booming voice and a gentle heart. The show frames itself as an intimate talk series where Hokrates and his visitors open books — and their lives — to one another in candid conversation.
The Hokrates character is presented as a disciple of Socrates: an immortal who has lived for thousands of years studying humanity and searching for life’s answers. Having traversed lives as a philosopher, ordinary citizen, athlete, adviser and host, Hokrates opens a small bookstore in 2026 in the delightfully quaint neighborhood named “Kang Ho-dong,” and begins welcoming patrons.
Kang Ho-dong fully commits to the role. His eager greetings and signature buoyant energy shine through, immediately drawing viewers in.
From the very first meeting with premiere guest Ha Jung-woo, the pair established effortless chemistry. Kang traded lively banter with the actor, guiding the conversation with warm reactions and well-timed questions that let Ha’s stories unfold naturally.
Leaning on his strengths as a talk-show host, Kang anchored the program from the outset. He paid close attention to the books guests recommended and to the personal histories they shared, steering thoughtful, in-depth discussions that demonstrated the seasoned hosting craft he’s honed over years on a variety of shows.
The veteran MC’s steady presence, combined with the show’s cozy tone, allowed Kang Ho-dong’s Neighborhood Bookstore to deliver laughs and empathy in equal measure — earning praise from viewers from episode one.
Meanwhile, the series — already gaining word-of-mouth as a new comfort-watch — airs every Friday at 4 p.m. on Coupang Play.
[Sports Today reporter Kim Tae-hyung ent@stoo.com]
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