South-North duo make TV trip to Japan

Two 31-year-old friends embark on a journey to a Japanese spa town in a new TV travel series, where they try out mackerel sushi and Japanese ramen.

Comedian Ahn Young-mi is fascinated with the unique taste of the fish, but North Korean defector Lee Eun-hye can’t stand the fishy taste after taking a bite.

In the three-episode travel program, “Hiking Together,” the unusual South-North pair visit Shirahama, Wakayama prefecture, for four days.

The program, produced by and aired on the cable TV channel Beyond Donga, a unit of Herald Corp., pairs celebrities with members of the public to go on trips together. Ahn and Lee are its first two guests.

Lee, who escaped to South Korea in 2010 after reaching China, says it is her first-ever vacation.

“I heard about the term ‘trip,’ but I have never been on one before,” said Lee on the first episode, which aired on Jan. 4. “I am going to travel courageously, just like how I risked my life to defect from the North.”

Ahn, who is famous for her spoof of Gollum from the “Lord of the Rings,” says she is a travel novice.

“Frankly, I don’t know much about Japan,” said the comedian. “I hope we can help each other and learn about the country together.”

The two stayed at the castle-like Hotel Kawakyu and ventured around the city to experience its famous eateries, tourist attractions and “onsen,” Japanese-style hot springs.

Hotel Kawakyu and online clothing retailer Naning9 sponsored the program.

The first episode aired on Jan. 4 and the second ― in which they go on a bike ride along the beach and visit Senjojiki Rock, a plateau of huge rocks on the coast ― will hit the airwaves on Feb. 1. In the last episode on Feb. 15, they visit Toretore Market and watch fish being filleted.

By Ahn Sung-mi (sahn@heraldcorp.com)