Bone-crushing consolation, the aesthetics of empathy given by ‘Grandma…
page information

text
Bone-crushing consolation, the aesthetics of empathy given by ‘Grandma Malja’
Written on: June 17, 2026 | Column by current affairs critic specializing in IT/media
How great it would be if someone would sincerely listen to my concerns and sometimes give me sharp advice to wake me up. Even though modern people live in a world of colorful social media, they often experience loneliness in the crowd because they have no place to open up. The program that captured the hearts of viewers by delving into these deficiencies of the times is KBS’s ‘Malja Show’. The character ‘Grandma Malja’, played by comedian Younghee Kim, was not just a means of inducing laughter, but established a deep emotional bond with the audience and established itself as a new form of communication channel. We would like to find out why this show brings both tears and laughter to so many people and receives enthusiastic support, as well as the power of sincerity behind it.
The core of ‘The Horse Show’ is not a flashy production or a provocative setting, but a very simple and powerful communication method called ‘listening’ and ‘direct speaking’. By dressing up as a grandmother, Younghee Kim breaks down the wall of authority and creates a safe fence where the audience can freely express their own secrets or unspeakable concerns. In particular, the words he throws at young people suffering from love problems by saying, “There are a lot of men in the world” provide an awakening like cold ice water to those who are caught up in attachment, but leave a deep resonance thanks to the warm sincerity contained within them. This counseling process does not just stay at the recording site, but also leads to true human exchanges that go beyond the boundaries between celebrities and ordinary people, such as meeting the audience in person after the broadcast, serving them a meal, or taking care of their concerns until the end.
The reason Kim Young-hee is able to empathize so deeply with the pain of others is because she herself has had the experience of going through the ups and downs of life and becoming stronger. In the past, her confession that she was driven to the brink of alopecia areata due to her responsibilities as the head of a household and her obsession as a comedian became a powerful message of comfort to young people in the same situation. She is more than just a funny person, she honestly reveals her bottom, encouraging the audience to look into their own wounds. This sincerity quickly spread through YouTube, etc., and ‘Malja Show’ showed signs of growth from a short 10-minute segment to a 90-minute stand-alone entertainment show. This proves that the public no longer wants processed entertainment, but honest, human communication.
In the recently aired ‘Adult World’ special feature, the stories of new parents who are exhausted from raising children were covered, and Kim Young-hee’s own experience became a hot topic. She confessed her past as a nurse, where she cried while holding on to a breast pump and compared herself to other mothers because her breast milk was not coming out well. He even confessed his desperate feelings of wanting to ‘bring milk’ to mothers who had surplus breast milk, and offered encouragement to parents who are blaming themselves in the battlefield of childcare, saying, “You are doing a good enough job.” Kim Young-hee's speaking style, in which she reveals her weaknesses without adding or subtracting, brought a great sense of liberation to modern parents who suffer from the obsession that parenting should be perfect. Her words, which turned feelings of self-destruction into hope, were the ‘language of empathy’ that is most needed by those living with childcare concerns.
The values pursued by ‘Malja Show’ are not limited to just counseling, but also extend to realistic concerns of adults, such as the mystery of marital relationships and the importance of communication. The program, along with an obstetrician-gynecologist who appeared as a guest, discusses etiquette that should be observed even between married couples and how to maintain attractiveness as members of the opposite sex, and presents practical guidelines for forming a healthy relationship. This shows that entertainment can go beyond its entertainment function and serve as a ‘school of life’ that makes viewers’ lives a little better. The collaboration with Jeong Beom-gyun also creates excellent harmony, and the completeness of the program is improved by adjusting the pace and pace to appropriately relieve the weight of the consultation. As a result, this show has become a unique content that simultaneously provides laughter, tears, and insight into growing into a mature adult.
■ Conclusion and analysis outlook
In conclusion, the success of ‘Malja Show’ once again confirms the immutable truth that even in an era overflowing with technologically fancy content, what ultimately moves people’s hearts is ‘sincere empathy.’ Kim Young-hee used her own wounds as a weapon to heal the pain of others and established her own unique field as the ‘Oh Eun-young of the comedy world.’ The sharp advice and warm consolation she gives shine even more because they are not simply broadcast comments, but true confessions that only someone who has lived a fierce life can make. We hope that ‘Malja Show’ will continue to listen to the concerns of more people and serve as a strong support to help them be positive about their lives. This is because the natural consolation that it is okay to not be perfect and that both mom and dad are great was what we desperately needed more than anything else.
* This post is a commentary by PlayBBS that analyzed real-time Google Trends popular search terms and related major articles.
Comment list
There are no registered comments.
