Korea has gained lots of attention worldwide because of K-pop and K-dramas; with the increase in international viewers, Korean game shows have also received much attention. The host of Korean game shows are celebrities, and the guests invited to these shows are various K-pop idols, actors, actresses, gamers, athletes, etc. Most of the people invited to these shows are there to promote their songs, dramas, and movies. Many people around the world cherish these game shows as they are pretty entertaining to watch, and mostly the highlight of the show is the people invited to it, as the fans love to see their favorite artist having fun and goofing around.
1. Physical: 100
This game show has received a lot of love from everyone as it shows the contestant’s physical and mental strength. Many participants are professional people (sports) from Korea’s national teams or fitness influencers. From the title itself, we can guess the number of participants, which is 100 people who compete against each other, but in the end, only one of them wins and claims the honor with some cash rewards. Many people might think that in this game show, women will hardly participate. Still, to clarify the doubt, out of 100 participants, 23 of them are women, and they shocked the audience with their capability and strength. Jang Ho Gi, the creator of the show became more famous worldwide after this game show.
2. Siren: Survive The Island
The catchy aspect of this show is the participants, who have excelled in their fields. It has a fascinating, intriguing concept, making it loved by the audience. It is a perfect show for those who love the idea of survival. In this show, you need to be smart about every move you take. The various jobs of contestants are firefighters, police, guards, soldiers, stunt women, and athletes. After watching this show, many audiences are inspired. The show depicts the strong will and mindset of women, and if they believe in themselves, they can go through any difficulty in life.
3. Running man
Running Man is a top-rated show with a very high rating. It’s a straightforward comedy game show that airs every week, and many audiences will not deny that this has to be one of their favorite ones. This show has one of the most loyal followings among any game show. The members of the show are very famous among the youth, and the reviews given by the audience have always been positive.
4. Run BTS
This game show’s concept is quite different from other shows as it is produced for the BTS’s fandom “Armys” (the name of the fandom) to show the diverse and realistic side of the members. BTS is a famous K-pop band that has an enormous fan following worldwide. This show does not focus on a particular concept; instead, it mainly involves various fields like cooking, gaming, designing, sports, etc. It allows the members to be familiar with multiple aspects of life. Many times famous people are also invited to this show.
5. Knowing Bros
This show has a high school concept, and the hosts act like students. The guests invited to this show come as newly transferred students. Though it’s a funny and quite entertaining show, it has received a lot of mixed reactions from the audience. The guests invited to this show are mostly K-pop groups, actors, etc., which might be the reason for the mixed reviews because the fans are pretty possessive regarding their idols. The show has many segments, but these two are the most permanent segments. In the first segment, a cast member introduces the guest, and the other members comment on them, and in the second segment, the guest will ask questions related to themselves.
6. Youth MT
Youth MT is a unique show as it features the actors from the dramas “Itaewon Class,” “The Sound of Magic,” and “Love in the Moonlight.” People might wonder what “MT” from the title stands for, which is “membership training,” which means hanging out, playing games, and taking the time to bond with each other. Being a one-of-a-kind concept, people have shown a lot of admiration towards this show. Youth MT is a heartwarming and fun show, making it one of the best shows ever made in the history of a Korean variety show.
7. The Zone: Survival Mission
In this show, the three members go into a survival-themed simulation mode with the help of AI machines, and their task is to complete the missions and the scenarios within the given time limit of 4 hours. Though it may sound like a very intense concept, the participants have made sure that it is quite entertaining to watch. This helps the producer to have a loyal audience following the show. The best part of the show is the ending, as it shows how this relates to reality and the lessons we can learn from it.
8. Weekly Idol
It is Korea’s longest-running show, which has gained popularity mainly because the participants are idols from different K-pop groups. It is a brilliant idea as the fans love to see their heroes playing games and having fun like an average person. At the beginning of this show, the hosts were Doni and Coni, who were loved by the audience. But later on, the hosts were changed, which made the fans a bit sad.
9. Zombie Verse
Zombie Verse is a perfect show for people who wonder whether they can survive a zombie apocalypse. In the beginning, the four celebrities escaped from Seoul as the apocalypse hit the place, and now they wander around in search of shelter with the other survivors. The participants must survive and complete the quests to obtain food, shelter, etc. The most important thing to remember is not to get bitten by the zombies. The most common review given by the audience is that it is a stupidly entertaining show.
10. Sixth sense
“Sixth Sense” is quite a unique name for the game shows. This show gathers Korea’s few top stars, and they must use their sixth sense to distinguish the fake set-up from the real one. The tricky part is that the fake one looks more accurate than the real one. Whichever member finds the fake one will get a grand prize, whereas the member who makes the wrong decision will receive a punishment.
