Lee Se-dol [Newsis]
Lee Se-dol [Newsis]

Lee Se-dol, the retired Go champion, is set to take on a new challenge — cleaning the exterior of a high-rise building 51 meters above the ground. Transformed into a rope-access technician, Lee will be shown keeping his composure and focus at a dizzying height as he tackles the unfamiliar work.

According to MBC Entertainment, "Baeksu Lee Se-dol" — a variety show directed by Lee Myeong-seop — follows the real-life analog survival story of Lee Se-dol, who stepped away from the world of Go after his legendary single victory against AlphaGo in 2016. The program documents Lee throwing himself into various jobs that cannot be replaced by machines, gaining new experiences along the way. The show has continued to draw wide attention across generations, even amid the recent fervor over fall baseball broadcasts.

In episode three, airing Friday, Lee takes on exterior window cleaning at a high-rise building. The location is the KBS Busan headquarters — 11 stories tall and about 51 meters high. The task requires Lee to strap on a descender, entrust his body to a rope and rappel down the building's outer wall, wiping each pane of glass one by one.

Lee has long said he has no fear of heights, but when he actually stands at the railing 51 meters up, he hesitates and cannot bring himself to step forward right away. He soon steadies himself, however, and moves forward step by step, successfully clearing what is considered the hardest part — crossing over the parapet. Once ready to descend, he even takes a moment to take in the Busan skyline while hanging from the rope. Viewers are left in admiration as Lee waves and smiles from the side of the building high above the ground.

His co-worker Han Sang-jin, by contrast, cannot hide his fear. With his legs trembling, Han grips the railing and watches Lee, repeatedly muttering, "Se-dol is incredible."

Lee's trademark concentration shines through once the cleaning work begins in earnest. The job demands that he maintain balance on a rope at height while deftly handling multiple cleaning tools — and at first he struggles. But he actively asks his mentor questions and picks up the techniques for managing the rope and equipment one by one. As time passes, he grows more adept, wiping the windows quickly and accurately.

His rope-work mentor is impressed. "A lot of people come in confident, take one look down and go straight home," the mentor says. "But Se-dol seems like no ordinary person. He's grade A."

"Baeksu Lee Se-dol" airs every Friday at 8:30 p.m. on KBS 2TV. However, this week's broadcast time may be subject to change due to live coverage of the 2026 Korean Series.


husn7@heraldcorp.com