[Edaily Starin, Reporter YUN GI BACK ] “Rather than feeling a sense of accomplishment from reaching the 100th episode, my first thought is that we’ve really gotten an in-depth look at the lives and relationships of so many couples over the years.”

JTBC’s “Divorce Cooling-Off Camp” will mark its 100th episode tomorrow (the 17th). The program, which began as a pilot in 2024, has established itself as one of JTBC’s flagship variety shows by covering the conflicts and relationship recovery processes of over 70 couples across its 100 episodes.
In a Q&A with JTBC, Producer Lee Na-ra shared her thoughts on the 100th episode, saying, “It’s never easy to talk about your most difficult moments and marital problems in front of the camera,” adding, “I’m always grateful to the participants who found the courage to do so. My sense of responsibility has grown even more than my sense of accomplishment.”
The aspect that Producer Lee considers most important in directing the show is not determining “who is right or wrong.” She explained, “Before taking on the program, I, too, would first think, ‘Who was at fault?’” adding, “But as I met various couples, I realized that marital problems cannot be explained simply in terms of right and wrong.” He continued, “Now, rather than asking, ‘Who’s at fault?,’ I first ask, ‘Why have these two been maintaining their relationship in this way?’” He emphasized, “Showing conflict is different from showing the reasons behind it. I consider it most important to ensure that the participants’ stories aren’t treated as mere light entertainment.”

After taking charge of the program, he devoted significant effort to deepening the counseling sessions. While the episodes are edited down to about 30 minutes for broadcast, the actual counseling sessions on set last much longer. To examine the impact of marital conflict on children, the show also introduced psychological counseling for children as a new feature.
Producer Lee explained, “We aimed to look into the children’s feelings—which had been overlooked amid the couple’s problems—and convey them to the parents,” adding, “Even after filming, we connect couples and their children with psychological counseling if they wish.”
Director Seo Jang-hoon, family investigators Park Ha-sun and Lee Dong-geon, counselor Lee Ho-seon, and the attorneys also play key roles in the program. Producer Lee said, “Our greatest strength is that we view the same couples from different perspectives,” adding, “Director Seo Jang-hoon intuitively pinpoints the points viewers are curious about, while family investigators Park Ha-sun and Lee Dong-geon uncover the underlying emotions and dynamics up close.”

Regarding the roles of counselor Lee Ho-seon and the lawyers in particular, she explained, “If counseling is the process of looking into the couple’s ‘hearts,’ then the lawyers’ mediation is the process of organizing those feelings into the language of reality.”
The most memorable moments were small changes rather than dramatic reconciliations. “There are moments when people who used to only get angry at each other listen to the other person’s story all the way through for the first time, or say, ‘I didn’t realize you were going through such a hard time,’” she said. “I believe the starting point for a relationship to change lies, surprisingly, in very small things.”
The direction for the show after its 100th episode is also clear. Producer Lee said, “Going forward, I want to explore a wider variety of relationships—such as couples who appear to have no major problems on the surface but have lost the ability to communicate, couples who have grown indifferent to one another over time, and couples who have drifted apart due to financial, child-rearing, or family issues.” He continued, “‘Divorce Cooling-Off Camp’ is not a program that tells people to ‘get a divorce’ or ‘don’t get a divorce,’” and added, “I hope it becomes a program that addresses conflicts and their resolution not just in marital relationships, but in human relationships in general.”