The world has come to know about the extensive talent and lure of Korean movies and television, but only some of the most dedicated fans of Korean entertainment know about some of the biggest reality television shows from the country. Variety and reality television is very popular in South Korea, and for the earliest parts of the Korean Wave, or Hallyu, fans around the world came to know some of the most iconic titles and reality television from the region. Many of these shows feature the likes of celebrities and idols alike to round out their regular cast members, bringing in fresh perspectives with each episode.
Whether it was K-pop idols featuring on the likes of Running Man or King of Mask Singer, which was imported to the United States, these were some of the most popular Korean content for several years. Although these shows were the classic ones in the 2010s, Korean reality has evolved in recent years. As seen on platforms like Netflix, dating shows like Single’s Inferno have appeared, marking a shift in the kind of entertainment marketed towards an international audience. At the same time, the classics still reign supreme in their topics, showing their enduring popularity. Looking to get started in the genre? We’ve got you covered with these picks.
12 King of Mask Singer
King of Mask Singer has become one of the more well-known Korean shows in recent years because the United States adapted the concept and made their own version. The original Korean King of Masked Singer began airing on television in 2015, and established a concept where someone would be singing in front of a live audience and panel. Their identity would be disguised by a mask and a costume, meaning that the only identifying factor is their voice. There would be three elimination rounds the singer would have to go through, and who is actually singing would be revealed only when they’re eliminated.
11 2 Days 1 Night
2 Days 1 Night has become one of the core staples in Korean reality and variety shows, as it began airing on television in 2007. Throughout the years, the show has largely kept the same format and consistent cast members, ensuring its fanbase recognizes the core elements of each episode. Every episode features the cast members traveling throughout South Korea and exploring local attractions. When it comes around mealtimes, the cast members are given missions, and if they fail in their tasks, they can face punishments. This has been one of the most popular variety shows in South Korea and abroad.
10 Running Man
Running Man has been one of the most representative shows of Korean variety and reality television culture, and that’s for good reason. The series began in 2010 and established some of its most famous cast members, like Yoo Jae-suk, as some of the most recognizable faces in South Korea due to their involvement in the show. The format the show has adopted mainly throughout its run is giving the main cast missions and tasks to do, many of which involve a competition of some sorts. Each episode invites actors, celebrities, and idols to participate in the festivities, making the competitive spirit even more fun.
9 Single’s Inferno
Single’s Inferno is one of the newest reality television shows to come out of South Korea, and features Kyuhyun, Hanhae, Lee Da-hee, and Hong Jin-young hosting. A group of participants is selected and placed on an island, then the show fuses elements of survival television and romance. The participants are all single, and are expected to find love throughout the series. With commentary from the hosts, each episode follows the 12 participants as they slowly get to know each other and are ultimately paired up romantically.
8 We Got Married
Many fans of Korean pop music will recognize the title We Got Married, especially if they were dedicated fans during the second generation of K-pop. We Got Married would select a male and female celebrity and place them in a situation where they have to act like a married couple. Throughout the episodes, they would be given challenges and missions to complete, putting their fake relationship to the test as they struggle through difficult tasks. Some of the biggest idols of the era would be on the show in its heyday, making We Got Married very popular when it ran.
7 Laws of the Jungle
Laws of the Jungle ran for 10 years, concluding its run in 2021. Originally, the show was created by comedian Kim Byung-man to travel to some of the most remote locations in the world and experiencing what life is like camping in the wild. In the episodes, several guests, which would consist of Korean pop idols and actors, would join him on these adventures, putting their stamina and wits to the test as they confront what is out there in the jungle. The cast would be expected to survive as they would have to in the wild, including creating their own shelter and sourcing meals.
6 The Return of Superman
Originally released in 2013, The Return of Superman has enjoyed immense popularity throughout the years. The show’s premise consists of this: celebrities who are fathers would be left alone with their children for two days, as it would give their wives some time to rest after providing so much childcare. The fathers would not be given any help during these 48 hours, and they would be given tasks by their wives to complete in the time they’re alone with the kids. The series has hundreds of episodes, making it perfect to binge-watch.
5 Siren: Survive the Island
Siren: Survive the Island only has one season so far on Netflix, but if it does well, the world might be seeing more than the initial 10 episodes released. The premise of this 2023 series is that 24 women are selected to compete against each other. But these are no ordinary women: they’re police officers, firefighters, stuntwomen, athletes, soldiers, and guards. Placed on a remote island, they are sorted into teams and compete against each other until only one team is left and can claim victory over the others.
4 Busted!
A Netflix series, Busted! featured an all-star cast with Yoo Jae-suk, Lee Kwang-soo, Ahn Jae-wook, Park Min-young, Oh Se-hun, Kim Se-jeong, and Kim Jong-min, among others. This was the very first Netflix original that had an all-Korean cast and ran for three years and seasons before wrapping up its run. The cast members are brought together in the first season to be a part of Project D, which means they have to act as private detectives that have to solve a new case each episode. The series utilizes a combination of scripted and unscripted lines throughout the series.
3 I Live Alone
I Live Alone fuses together elements of Korean variety shows with regular reality television. The series is inspired by the many single people living alone throughout South Korea, and spotlights a celebrity cast who all live alone. The selected members of the cast show their lives as single people who happen to also be celebrities. The series’ cast includes Korean singers, actors, and comedians, and changes up the members every so often to showcase different perspectives and lifestyles while also keeping things fresh. I Live Alone has been running on television since 2013.
2 Knowing Bros
Yet another staple in the Korean reality television world, Knowing Bros has been airing on television since 2015. The series takes place in a classroom setting with fixed cast members, and it adopts a talk show format as guests arrive onto the scene. The fixed cast members pretend to be members of one school, and the guests are students from another school. After the talk show element concludes in the first half of the episode, the second part of the show engages in more variety elements, putting all of them on missions and creating challenges for the entire cast to solve.
1 Physical 100
Physical 100 is yet another foray by Netflix into the world of Korean reality television, and was pretty successful during its first season, as a second season is in the works. In this show, 100 participants are selected. Each one of them has become renowned for their physical capabilities and for being shredded, and they’re now being pitted against each other. A tournament style setup makes the grand prize a lucrative one for whoever can come out on top: they will receive the equivalent of almost $250,000 in USD. However, coming out on top will not be that easy.