Eight Korean Variety Shows that Will Add Spice to Your Life

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) crisis in South Korea in 1998 sparked fears of shattering conventional family and social structures. The Korean media responded to this by portraying and improving public awareness of everyday life through a show format that incrementally began to explore social and personal issues, while also promoting recreation. As you read through this piece, you will learn more about the background of Korean variety shows alongside eight of my current favorites within the category.

Korean television began showcasing music-related initiatives with the advent of broadcast stations. Take, for example, Korea’s longest-running TV show, KBS1‘s National Singing Contest. However, between the 1990s and 2000s, talk shows and conflict-centered entertainment such as g.o.d’s Baby Diaries and Happy Sunday remained popular. Later, a fusion format between a talk show and a game show was introduced as people began to take to the genre and viewership started to grow. You’ll know what I’m talking about if you’ve already watched Running Man, Radio Star, or Infinite Challenge.

Around 2010, the relatability of human emotions in romance-based (“love variety”) and audition-based shows helped them become a prominent part of South Korean television entertainment. As more variety shows merging dramas, documentaries and educational programs were created, shows (featuring celebrities) like Three Meals a Day, Youn’s Kitchen and I Live Alone, as well as love variety shows such as We Got Married, Love Catcher, Heart Signal and Single’s Inferno, became common.

The mukbang and cooking shows (featuring food) including Chef and My Fridge, Street Food Fighter, Kang’s Kitchen, Delicious Rendezvous, and Baek Jong Won’s Alley Restaurants, have gradually attracted attention and catapulted their production over time. Another subgenre of Korean variety shows that rank high on viewers’ watch-list preferences is the myriad of celebrity travel shows starring both K-drama and K-pop celebrities. Two Days and One Night, Twogether, Youth Over Flowers, Law of the Jungle, and House on Wheels are just a few examples.

With the burgeoning rise of the Hallyu wave, Korean popular culture has grown to encompass movies, webcomics, games, food and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), in addition to K-pop and K-drama. That aside, variety shows in Korea have expanded in frequency as a result of productions such as Running Man, Return of Superman, King of Mask Singer, The Genius, and others being exported to different countries. Furthermore, the growing number of international participants in these programs has exemplified global and cultural diversity.

If you’re new to the domain of Korean variety shows or have missed out on the following, then make sure you watch them.

Jung Hae In’s Travel Log

For the first time, well-known K-drama actor Jung Hae-in appears as himself in this travel reality show (2019). Jung is filmed traveling around New York City with friends and fellow actors Eun Jong-gun and Lim Hyun-soo. According to sources, the Something in the Rain hero doubled up as a director and crew member, overseeing the production of the program down to the last detail. It’s fascinating to watch candid moments of him as the man behind his superstar persona. Also, I love the way he has chronicled his experiences while enjoying the local culture with his companions in and around New York City.

Youn’s Stay

This show will remain a personal favorite because of its distinctive concept and ensemble cast. The members include Youn Yuh-Jung, Lee Seo-jin, Jung Yu-mi, Park Seo-joon and Choi Woo-shik, who are seen running a hanok (traditional Korean house that came into being during the Joseon era) guesthouse serving foreigners and visitors who practically have no knowledge of the staff’s real identities. Youn’s Stay (2021) is a sequel to Youn Yuh-jung’s previous hit reality show, Youn’s Kitchen. In the second installment, the veteran actress invites foreigners living in Korea. The invitees are then welcomed to the guest house and served traditional Korean meals.

Sea of Hope

A few shows have a therapeutic effect on your mind and soul. They provide you with a necessary mental retreat as well as healing. Sea of Hope (2021) is one such initiative, dedicated to promoting hope and happiness, as the show’s title suggests. It’s a one-of-a-kind cooking reality program with loads of soothing music and a host of Korean artists from the K-drama and K-pop worlds. The characters open a seaside tavern and serve food and drinks to customers while entertaining them with musical acts. The episodes, which were shot partly in the beautiful city of Pohang and partly in picturesque Goseong, set the perfect backdrop for both the visitors and viewers to sit back and relax, as nature and music blend harmoniously.

Hospital Playlist Goes Camping

After gaining huge admiration and love from audiences worldwide, Hospital Playlist, a medical rom-com drama, launched its second season in September 2021. It is the story of five doctors who have been longtime friends. Since they work at the same hospital, they stay together, with their bond growing stronger day by day thanks to their shared enthusiasm for music. A mini television series, Hospital Playlist Goes Camping (2021) — which is a travel variety show — was made to bridge the gap between the two seasons of the drama. While the main idea was to pre-promote the second season, it also provided us with another entertaining piece to enjoy the camaraderie of the characters on a camping site as they share fun experiences with us.

The Game Caterers

South Korean TV producer and director Na Young-seok is well known for making popular variety-reality shows such as 1 Night 2 Days, New Journey to the West, Grandpas Over Flowers and Three Meals a Day, among others. Of his many successful non-fiction shows, Game Craters (2021) deserves special mention. The first season was released last year. It featured a business trip in which Na visits official and entertainment platforms to engage celebrity guests in various games. A second season was launched this year, featuring different artists under YG Entertainment.

ATEEZ Treasure Film

K-pop idols ATEEZ venture out on a treasure hunt in this 2019 reality show, ATEEZ Treasure Film (the show was produced as an after-effect of the success of another show, ATEEZ: Long Journey). The boyband members are put through 16 obstacles in natural settings in Australia and Los Angeles, eight of which are solo trials while the remaining are group activities. The reality series combines friendship, bromance and adventure, which makes it quite a watch-worthy experience.

BTS In the Soop

The first season of BTS In the Soop premiered on August 19, 2020. The show follows K-pop superstars BTS to a tranquil, isolated woodland – the Korean word ‘soop’ literally translates to ‘forest.’ The location is a relaxing getaway from the humdrum of city life, where the band members have no specific plans and are free to participate in a variety of activities reflecting the series’ tagline, ‘Between everyday life and rest.’ In the words of Dakota Kim of the Los Angeles Times, the series “reveals another side of the fierce septet.” She adds that the boys not only get candid about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected them but also provide “a view into rustic life, from the time-honored Korean tradition of cooking outdoors to learning how to fish.”

TXT and Enhyphen Playground

TXT and Enhyphen Playground (2021) feature TXT and Enhyphen, two well-known K-pop groups. The idols are seen connecting with each other while also competing against each other in games and challenges in this special two-episode program. In the first episode, we see a severe battle between two clubs that include members from each group, and in the second episode, the idols participate in various activities such as traditional Korean games.