Master In The House Malaysia brings its first season, with Siti Nurhaliza, Yusof Haslam and Rashid Sidek leading the cast of 'Masters'
THE popular South Korean reality show Master In The House (MITH) has finally arrived in Malaysia, courtesy of Primeworks Studios and SBS Korea.
Introducing young and promising artistes to the success stories of various icons, who include veteran singers, actors, businessmen, sportsmen and chefs, the local edition is entitled Master In The House Malaysia (MITHM), and it premieres tomorrow.
A co-production of Primeworks Studios and SBS, MITHM will be airing every Saturday from 10pm to 11pm on TV3 for 10 weeks.
It features five young local artistes — singer-songwriter Hael Husaini, actresses Scha Elinnea and Sharifah Rose, and singers Andi Bernadee and Meyrasam of the girl group Cassia — as its contestants.
Each episode will see them learning about the success stories of eight Malaysian and Korean icons of various professions.
STAR ATTRACTIONS
The eight Masters, who will give them weekly problem-solving assignments that bring out the best in them, are K-Pop group BTS' award-winning choreographer Son Sung Deuk of HYBE Performance fame, South Korean-based Thai hip-hop singer BamBam of Got7, Malaysian pop queen Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin, veteran filmmaker Datuk Yusof Haslam, badminton legend Datuk Rashid Sidek, celebrity chef Sherson Lian, Wau Animation founder and Ejen Ali creator Usamah Zaid, and another Malaysian who will be revealed later.
CheongKwanJang (CKJ) is the main sponsor of the show, with Lifebuoy and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G as co-sponsors.
CRUCIAL SCENES IN KOREA
Media Prima Television Networks and Primeworks Studios deputy chief executive officer Nini Yusof said: "MITHM is the first major partnership between Primeworks and SBS. We have had a great time working with our South Korean counterpart, and our crew members spent 10 days in South Korea from October to November last year filming some of its crucial scenes."
She added that Primeworks' collaboration with SBS had enabled the company to learn the best practices of Korean television networks and develop new ideas to enrich local entertainment.
BIG BROTHER HAEL
Nini said: "It is the first programme to be filmed in South Korea for all of them. MITHM, our version of the five-year-old MITH, is not only entertaining but also inspiring.
"They get to learn about BamBam, who hails from neighbouring Thailand, yet have worked extra hard to become a pop star in South Korea."
Nini added that Hael and Scha were the "big brother and big sister" of the contestants as they were the most experienced in showbiz.
"They are very helpful and mature, while Rose is sweet and compassionate. Andi is the funnyman of the gang, and Meyrasam is the quiet but occasionally brilliant one."
CHEMISTRY AND TEAMWORK
Nini said the five participants showed superb chemistry and teamwork, and were all fans of Korean entertainment, which had taken Malaysia by storm over the last decade.
"This show makes newcomers learn from experts. It has diverse stories since the Masters come from diverse backgrounds, such as sport, cooking, fashion, film and music.
"In future seasons, we plan to bring in more Masters from other countries and even get participants to travel to those countries."
NATION-BUILDING
Anugerah Juara Lagu (AJL) winner Hael, 34, said: "MITHM is a godsend! Here, I get to learn the success stories of great masters. They played a key role in nation-building, and we as the younger generation can emulate the noble values that made them shine."
Sitik Tok star Scha, 23, said: "Each of us uses our strong points to help the others resolve our weekly tasks. Every challenge we face has to be resolved within two days, and despite the difficulties we face, at the end of the day, we get things done."
Kekasih Hati Mr Bodyguard star Sharifah Rose, 24, said: "It is an honour to meet some of my most admired Malaysians, especially Siti and Yusof. I grew up listening to her music and watching his films and action-packed TV series."
For Meyrasam, she enjoyed visiting South Korea and chatting with the country's world-famous artistes, such as Son and BamBam.
"I have always wanted to visit this wonderful country and interact with its friendly and generous people."
SUPER EFFICIENT
MITHM producer Ahmad Azahari Mohamad Ali said he learnt a lot about world-class production from SBS.
"They are super efficient and use 20 cameras to film every scene. Most of us in Malaysia only use four," he said.
Azahari added that the Korean production team had adhered strictly to standard operating procedures (SOP) while working, and made sure only 20 people were on the set at any one time.
LOVE AND SUPPORT
On another note, Scha, whose real name is Natasha Mohamed Mubeen, is undergoing weekly psychiatric treatment for depression and anxiety.
"I've been suffering from this condition for sometime, but with my doctor's help, things are getting better," she said.
Scha said she chose to highlight her illness because it was "quite normal" in today's world.
"Many people suffer in silence. Depression is a disease and we should not stigmatise people who have it. People who look cheerful and happy may have it, and what we should do is show our love and support to them."
MADE UP STORIES
Last November, Hael was the target of malicious rumour among Malaysians studying in South Korea, claiming on social media that he had visited a nightclub in Itaewon.
Hael said he was leaving it to his management to take action against the rumour-mongers.
"They simply made up stories about me and did not know that I was filming MITHM there," he said.
"Anyway, I am not too concerned about them."