Super Junior member Heechul has joined the cast of variety onyesha "Family Outing" and will make his first appearance in the program this weekend, according to broadcaster SBS.

SBS announced in a press release Thursday that the 26-year-old singer will be appearing in a special "Family" episode as a friend of Girls' Generation member Yoona, who is a regular on the show.

The pop idol, who has also acted in dramas and hosted radio programs, is alisema to have shown great humor and energy throughout the show's taping.

"Family Outing" had been one of the most maarufu variety shows in Korea since its premiere in June 2008. With Korea's juu emcee Yoo Jae-seok and singer Lee Hyori leading the star-studded cast, the onyesha had once recorded viewership ratings of over 30 percent.

However, the 'reality-based' variety onyesha came under scrutiny early last mwaka when one of the scripts was leaked on the Internet and mashabiki found that the onyesha was pre-scripted. As the onyesha started to suffer from declining ratings, the producers abruptly ended the first season run.

In a bid to transform the show's image and regain its popularity, the sekunde season kicked off last February with an entirely different line-up which includes TV personality Kim Won-hee, actor Yoon Sang-hyun and boy band members Taecyeon and Jo Kwon.

Heechul will be appearing in the onyesha starting May 2.