Your favorite Korean travel duo is going to Texas

Korea's most beloved travel duo is heading to Texas, scaling up from a YouTube hit to a global Netflix outing.

"Ready or Not: Texas" is a freewheeling travelogue following actor Lee Seo-jin ("Intimate Strangers") and star entertainment show producer Na Young-seok ("Jinny's Kitchen," "2 Days & 1 Night") as they traverse the US. The series thrives on its loose, unpredictable energy. It is led by Lee, a self-proclaimed Texas enthusiast, with Na and his team trailing in his wake. Along the way, the duo stumbles into a string of offbeat adventures, from Lee trying his hand at a cowboy shootout to a NASA detour.

The Netflix series expands on Na's YouTube series "Lee Seo-jin’s New York New York," which trailed the duo through New York and gained considerable traction for its mix of easygoing humor and low-key local discoveries. The YouTube show's laid-back tone and insider feel proved sticky enough, ultimately carrying it through to a second season.

Speaking at a press conference in Seoul on Tuesday, Na acknowledged the added stakes, with the show having moved to Netflix.

"It would be a lie to say I didn't feel any pressure working with Netflix," he said. "This started as something we'd casually film for YouTube between bigger productions, just for fun when Lee had time. With Netflix on board, there was definitely pressure, but also curiosity about how the audience would respond. We had a great time making it."

Na stressed that the essence of the series remains largely intact. "There's virtually no difference," he said. "The biggest changes are the platform and the location. Even with Netflix's support, we were careful not to let that alter what we originally set out to do. Viewers responded to the simplicity and spontaneity, the sense of setting off on a whim in our own style, and Lee's charm along the way. We wanted to preserve that."

He added that while evolution can be expected, there is also an audience appetite for familiarity. "With this series, we wanted to hold on to that unchanging feel as much as possible."

The show's itinerary skews away from typical tourist stops and toward destinations that align squarely with Lee's personal tastes, including an empty stadium and a Korean restaurant near a Samsung factory.

Na stated, "Lee doesn't follow guidebooks. He follows his own preferences. There's a unique appeal in that, and viewers might enjoy picking and choosing parts of his route to try themselves."

Both hinted at franchise potential. "There are endless cities I have in mind," Lee said. "We already have plenty of trips we want to do, and we'll be buying a lot of merchandise there too. If Netflix doesn't continue, we can always take it elsewhere. I'd like to keep this concept going."

"Ready or Not: Texas" premiered on Netflix on Tuesday.