Beloved Korean Variety Shows Abroad

Korean popular music, known as K-pop, is now globally well-known. Korean drama series, movies, and variety shows are also gaining fans all over the world. Today, we’ll introduce you to some of the variety shows that are very popular abroad. 

First is Running Man, perhaps the most popular show overseas. It is a representative variety show that has been airing for ten years running. It’s thrilling for viewers to watch as the cast members run around and take off name tags attached to each other’s backs. For its wide popularity abroad, the cast even held 10th anniversary Asia fan meeting tour. We recommend this show for some good laughter and fun.

Our next recommendation is the King of Mask Singer. Just as the title suggests, it’s a sing-off where two masked singers are up against each other, and the one with the most votes gets to advance to the next round. The defeated participant takes off the mask and reveals their identity. It’s fun to guess who the singer is just based on their voices. This show is incredibly popular because you can discover talented artists with excellent singing skills. The publication right of this show has been exported to more than 40 countries. The Masked Singer on FOX TV is one of them.

Lastly, we’d like to introduce a show called Welcome, First Time in Korea? Welcome, First Time in Korea? is a show about foreigners who visit Korea for the first time. They experience the Korean culture as they visit tourist attractions and foodie spots, and partake in traditional activities. It’s a domestic travel show that not only showcases the leisure of travel but also highlights cultural differences between Korea and the visitor’s countries. The show is highly popular among both Korean and foreign viewers. It’s becoming more and more enjoyable with unique cast members that visit Korea. Due to COVID-19, it’s introducing the stories of foreigners who reside in Korea instead. Recently, the family of U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant appeared on the show and received a lot of love from the Korean public. If it’s your first time in Korea and you’re wondering what to do, this is a great show to learn about Korea. 

As it’s difficult to go outside due to COVID-19, how about spending a special day as you watch Korean variety shows at home? What are some of your favorite Korean variety shows?