Korea's Senior Queens Storm Knowing Bros in Epic Episode

Three of South Korea's most beloved veteran actresses are about to take over the set of JTBC's Knowing Bros — and the teaser released on May 2 has already made clear that Episode 528 is going to be something different. Kim Young-ok, Sa Mi-ja, and Nam Neung-mi, a trio whose combined careers span more than a century of Korean entertainment history, are set to appear together on the show, which airs Saturday, May 9, at 9 p.m. KST on JTBC.

The three-minute preview, published on the JTBC Entertainment YouTube channel, offered just enough to make clear why fans are already treating this as a must-watch. These are not celebrities making a promotional appearance. These are living institutions — and they clearly have things to say.

Three Legends, Three Distinct Personalities

Kim Young-ok, 89, is known to younger Korean audiences as the original "Halminem" — a play on Eminem that has followed her for years, earned through her unfiltered delivery and fearless presence both on screen and off. With a career dating back to the 1960s, she has appeared in an almost uncountable number of Korean dramas and films, accumulating the kind of cultural weight that comes only from sustained, beloved longevity. Her comment in the preview — delivered with full confidence — that she still has things to say at this age is entirely credible.

Sa Mi-ja, one of Korea's most recognizable faces from decades of drama roles, carries herself in the preview with the serene assurance of someone who has simply seen everything. Her offhand comment that she can remember being evacuated as a nine-year-old during wartime — offered not for effect but as plain recollection — landed with unusual weight in a variety show context. "I still remember being evacuated when I was nine," she said, the line sitting quietly amid the show's usual playful atmosphere like a stone dropped into still water.

Nam Neung-mi rounds out the trio with a reputation for straight talk that has earned her something like a cult following among viewers who appreciate a celebrity who says exactly what she means. The preview hinted at a segment in which she discusses her dynamic with her husband in terms that are both candid and unexpectedly funny — describing a domestic dynamic that fans online immediately recognized and responded to.

Key Moments From the Preview

Among the moments that stood out in the preview: Sa Mi-ja found herself on the receiving end of an unusually direct romantic overture from one of the show's shorter male regulars, delivered with enough confidence that the studio seemed genuinely uncertain how to respond. The exchange — part flirtation, part tribute to a woman who has been a presence in Korean living rooms for generations — drew immediate laughter while also carrying genuine affection.

Nam Neung-mi's segment touched on her home life in a way that resonated with viewers who follow her public persona. Her description of adjusting her behavior around her husband — moving from her usual outspoken self to something softer and more accommodating — prompted frank commentary from the other guests, who were not inclined to let the observation pass without remark. The resulting exchange, from what the preview showed, suggests a conversation that is both funnier and more honest than variety shows typically allow.

Kim Young-ok, meanwhile, appeared fully in her element — comfortable, sharp, and entirely unbothered by the energy of a younger studio environment. Her presence alone served as a kind of anchor for the episode's tone: whatever the conversation, it would be grounded by someone who has been watching Korean entertainment from the inside for sixty years.

A Significant Transition for the Show Itself

Episode 528 is notable not only for its guests but for what it represents in the show's own history. Kim Heechul, the Super Junior member who has been one of Knowing Bros' founding cast members since its first episode in 2015, will be taking a temporary break from the show starting with this episode, stepping back for health reasons. JTBC has confirmed that his absence is temporary and that he intends to return once he has recovered.

His departure coincides with a significant addition: comedian Kim Shin-young has officially joined the show as its first female permanent cast member, having previously appeared as a guest five times and built a reputation for her quick wit and easy chemistry with the existing members. The transition gives Episode 528 an added layer of significance — it is the first episode with the new lineup, and the guests chosen to usher in that change are, by any measure, appropriately legendary.

Kim Shin-young's humor tends toward the self-aware and the absurdist, and her dynamic with the existing male cast members has always generated strong responses from audiences. Whether she brings that energy to a studio that includes Kim Young-ok, Sa Mi-ja, and Nam Neung-mi — three women collectively unbothered by anyone's expectations — will make for interesting television.

Knowing Bros Episode 528 airs on JTBC this Saturday, May 9, at 9 p.m. Full episodes are available for replay at tv.jtbc.co.kr.