Jang Min Ho Joins 13-Year-Old Trot Star Lee Su Yeon on KBS

Trot star Jang Min-ho is set to host a heartwarming, emotional culinary reunion with 13-year-old trot prodigy Lee Su-yeon and her grandmother on Korean television this week.

On the upcoming episode of the broadcast network KBS 2TV’s hit variety show Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant—airing Friday at 10 p.m. KST, immediately following the network's 2026 FIFA World Cup NOW coverage—Jang invites Lee and her grandmother to a special home-style, multi-course culinary experience. According to the show's producers, the studio panel was deeply moved to tears by the grandmother's unconditional love for her granddaughter and by Lee’s fierce devotion to her family.

In a newly released preview clip, Jang steps in as a one-day culinary mentor for Lee, whom he affectionately refers to as his "niece" on the show. Lee had expressed a deep desire to personally cook a meaningful meal for the maternal grandparents who raised and supported her. With Jang’s guidance, she successfully completes the dish, and the episode captures her grandmother's touching reaction to tasting the very first meal her young granddaughter has ever prepared for her.

The segment also opens up about the family’s poignant backstory. Lee tragically lost her father when she was just seven years old and has been raised by her grandparents ever since. "People told me to bury the grief in my heart, but I couldn't," her grandmother confided during the taping. "I was struggling severely with depression and social anxiety at the time." The episode reflects on the exact moment when, in the midst of those dark days, her young granddaughter managed to make her laugh again for the first time.

Lee's grandparents have poured their lives into managing her nascent music career, practicing strict financial discipline on her behalf. "We are saving every single cent of Su-yeon's income," her grandmother revealed. "We plan to keep saving it until she is old enough to manage her own finances." The couple has reportedly not spent a single won of Lee's earnings, covering their daily living expenses through separate sources of income. "That is truly remarkable," Jang remarked in response.

Lee, however, playfully pushed back against her grandparents' frugality. "I keep telling them that I'm completely fine and asking them to actually spend the money," she said, before maturely adding, "I will take responsibility for us." The touching line reportedly left the entire studio panel in tears.

The full story behind Lee’s promise, her grandparents' profound devotion, and Jang's mentorship airs Friday at 10 p.m. KST on KBS 2TV.