Rei Ami and Ken Jeong spotlight sharks on Shark Week
KPop Demon Hunters voice Rei Ami and comedian Ken Jeong open Discovery’s Shark Week with “K-Pop Shark Heroes,” putting sharks center stage. Ami dove with hammerheads, reef sharks, and bull sharks off Korea while Jeong stayed dry, aiming to cut fear and misinformation about the predators. The special launches a week of new Discovery programming devoted to the ocean’s apex hunters.
Key Takeaways
- Rei Ami and Ken Jeong host “K-Pop Shark Heroes” as Discovery’s Shark Week returns with about 20 new hourlong shows.
- Ami completed cage and free dives with hammerheads, reef sharks, and bull sharks off the Korean Peninsula; Jeong stayed on land.
- Both stars stress education over scare tactics, arguing public fear of sharks is fueled by misinformation.
- The premiere airs Sunday at 8 p.m. on Discovery Channel, kicking off seven nights of new specials through Aug. 1.
What are Rei Ami and Ken Jeong doing on Shark Week?
According to AP News, Ami — whose voice helped fuel the hit film KPop Demon Hunters — and actor-comedian Jeong open the week with “K-Pop Shark Heroes.” Jeong joked he was more the “Christopher Nolan” of the production: overseeing from high and dry while she entered the water.
Ami told AP she grew up watching Shark Week’s epic great white commercials. When the chance came to join Jeong, she said she would have been “an idiot to say no,” per WSVN coverage of the special.
How close did Rei Ami get to the sharks?
Off the Korean Peninsula, Ami watched from the ocean floor as about 16 reef sharks went on a feeding frenzy. She expected to feel petrified. Instead, she said she was enamored and brought to tears by witnessing nature.
AP reports she went on two cage dives and two free dives with hammerheads, reef sharks, and bull sharks. Jeong preferred to stay out of the water. WSVN quotes him saying sharks have been spotted on Korea’s shores in the last 12 months, which helped inspire the project.
After the dives, Ami called the outing the most life-altering and beautiful experience she had ever taken part in.
Why does this Shark Week special matter for sharks?
Shark Week remains a summer TV staple built on thrills, but Ami argues the core is educational. She told AP there is still “so much misinformation regarding sharks and how they behave,” and said people should understand there is really no reason to fear them.
Discovery is pairing entertainment with practical guidance as human-shark interactions rise from Korea to Brooklyn. Ami stressed it is imperative that people know how to react in the water, including a clear tip highlighted in AP’s report: stop splashing.
Beyond the celebrity opener, the seven-night run includes high diver Molly Carlson leaping 50 feet from a helicopter into a cage surrounded by reef sharks, plus science-led hunts such as a rumored 15-foot mako off Southern California. For more celebrity headlines, visit BlasterPost’s Celebrity Breaking News hub.
“K-Pop Shark Heroes” airs Sunday at 8 p.m. on the Discovery Channel, with new Shark Week shows continuing through Aug. 1.