Today we’re going to be covering a topic that brings together our favorite things: Korean Culture, and K-Pop! So what are we covering you ask? Korean Variety Shows!
Listen here:
What are Korean variety shows?
Usually composed of quizzes, skits, performances, games, stunts, etc.
A major part of Korean television.
Early shows were basically talent shows
1990s and 2000s talk shows and confrontation
Early 2010s a mixture of everything, more “fun” based
There is no fixed format, literally everything goes
The promotional marketing machine that are variety shows in Korea
Old School Variety Shows
Platform: Cable/Network TV
Running Time: 80 to 95 minutes
Notable Examples:
Running Man
First aired in 2010
Weekly on Sunday
Originally, urban action variety (think Amazing Race) has since shifted to a series of games
Knowing Bros
First aired in 2015
Weekly on Saturday
The concept is that the hosts are high school students and the guests are transfer students who come to introduce themselves and show their talents. There are many segments but the only permanent ones are “Entrance Application” and “Guess About Me”
6 Sense
Aired from 2020 to 2022
2 truths and one lie, teams have to guess which one is the lie by using their “6th sense”
New Journey to the West
First aired in 2015
8 seasons so far
In each season every cast member was dressed as a certain character and traveled to places on a mission to find mystical dragon balls. They must complete a task in order to receive dragon balls. If the members successfully gather seven dragon balls, their wishes would be granted.
Na PD now has taken the format of the games from NJTTW and distilled it for idol programming. He started with BTS and then went on to do company-wide family days.
Amazing Saturday
First aired in 2018
Weekly on Saturday
a market from a city is chosen for each episode and the prize is food from that market. Teams play games (usually music based like guess the lyrics or guess the song from a short snippet) to be able to enjoy the food. Each episode has a theme for costumes.
I Live Alone
First aired in 2013
Weekly on Fridays
Footage from selected Rainbow Club members’ everyday lives, both in and out of their homes. There are about 5 million singles in South Korea and about one-third of South Korean entertainers are not in a relationship. This program shows viewers how single celebrities live, and has attained great popularity due to the relatability of the single lifestyles of various celebrities, which are shown without significant filtering.
Weekly Idol
First aired in 2011
Weekly on Wednesday
Each episode features an idol guest where they play games ( ex. RPD, Dance x2). The games change every episode.
Idol Based Variety Shows
Idol/company-produced shows: Run BTS, To Do, Wanteez, GoSe, EXO Ladder
Why variety shows work:
They feel safer in their own space among themselves than going to an outside variety show where they’re not in control. They’re more authentic, more daring, and you see more of their real personalities as well as their relationships with each other
The members COMMIT to be entertaining and show different selves from stage. When you think of idols and their work on the stage, they of course get paid first and foremost to make great albums and deliver show-stopping performances every time. The variety show content can be seen as a less important activity because 1. It’s not their main job to be “entertainers” (huge distinction in SK between jobs as idols/singers/dancers/entertainers) and 2. The revenue impact is not as big. They might have sponsorships here and there but it’s not what’s keeping the lights on at the companies. Regardless of this fact, they show up in full hair and makeup and they really play into the roles/games, get competitive, strategize, and so we get sucked into the experience too.
The editors in South Korea are simply superior. Sometimes the narration in the subs/captions are generic but other times they just GET IT. The fandom jokes, the current lingo, the memefication of the moment… Watching western TV is boring after the overstimulation that happens with the editing on Korean variety shows. The in-house editors are also way more familiar with lore and specific storylines than those at outside variety shows, so it just makes sense that their edits are more impactful.
New Wave Variety Shows
Platform: YouTube
Running time: from 10 min to 1 hour or more
Most millennials and MZ consume content on YouTube
MIA2K: A K-Pop Podcast 
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