Category: VARIETY

10 Must-Watch K-pop Idol Variety Shows Online

Post author By Paula
Post date 08/23/2021
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Content is king, and idols know it!

Nowadays, K-pop idols don’t just guest at variety shows, they also star on their own! Having their own programs lets idols share more about themselves to fans, as well as give the fans an inside look at their daily lives.

Here are some of your favorite idols’ online variety shows you can binge on:

Run BTS (2015 – present)
Starring: All BTS members

What it’s about: The world’s biggest K-pop boy group has their own weekly variety show where they take on missions and play games to win prizes or avoid punishments. In the program, the boys unleash their fun, goofy, and cheeky selves on camera, much to the delight of all ARMYs around the world. With almost 150 episodes as of August 2021, there is more than enough BTS content for fans to watch!

Where to watch: VLive, Weverse

24/365 with Blackpink (2020 – present)
Starring: All Blackpink members

What it’s about: 24/365 lets Blinks into the lives of Blackpink. The show features the members as they chill in their dorm, shoot their music videos, play games, attend group and individual schedules, learn new skills, and more. The program is currently in its first season and has 16 uploaded episodes.

Where to watch: Blackpink’s YouTube channel

NCT Life (2016 – present)
Starring: All NCT members

What it’s about: It’s hard to keep up with a massive 23-member group, but NCT Life will help you get to know all the members better! Throughout its 10-season run, the show follows the lives of all members as they travel to different cities and countries. Several seasons also featured the NCT members acting as tour guides for their fellow members.

Where to watch: NCT’s VLive channel

Red Velvet Level Up! Project (2017 – 2020)
Starring: All Red Velvet members (seasons 1 – 3), Irene and Seulgi (season 4)

What it’s about: The girls of Red Velvet take Reveluvs on a trip around the world with them in Level Up! Project. The show currently has four seasons; however, only the most recent one featuring Irene and Seulgi can be viewed outside of South Korea.

Where to watch: SM C&C YouTube channel

SuperM M-Topia (2021)
Starring: All SuperM members

What it’s about: SM Entertainment’s supergroup, SuperM, is made up of EXO’s Baekhyun and Kai, Shinee’s Taemin, and NCT’s Taeyong, Ten, Lucas, and Mark. In 2020, they starred in their own variety show, M-Topia, where they go on a special vacation to relax and bond. During the trip, they also try different missions and avoid booby traps in the games to build their teamwork.

Where to watch: SM C&C YouTube channel

EXO Ladder (2018 – 2019)
Starring: EXO-CBX (Season 1), All EXO members except Lay (Season 2)

What it’s about: Officially titled “Travel the world on EXO’s ladder,” the show features the members as they go on a trip, and what they will do on their journey is determined by the ladder game (used to help choose something at random). In the first season, the EXO-CBX sub-unit (Chen, Baekhyun, Xiumin) went to Japan; in the second season, all members (except Lay) took a trip to Taiwan.

Where to watch: SM C&C YouTube channel

EXO Arcade (Season 1 2018 – 2019; Season 2 2021)
Starring: All EXO members except Lay (Season 1); Xiumin, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, Sehun (Season 2)

What it’s about: On this show, EXO-Ls get to watch their favorite boys compete against one another in various games—from shouting in silence to the Mafia game. Winners get prizes such as snack foods, while losers receive a penalty from the winners.

Where to watch: VLive, SM C&C YouTube channel

Time to Twice (2020 – present)
Starring: All Twice members

What it’s about: Twice members bring on the laughs and their competitive streaks with Time to Twice! Each short season (around 5-6 episodes long) takes on a different concept, such as a noraebang (karaoke) battle, healing camping trip, high school, crime scene—and even chocolate factory!

Where to watch: Twice’s YouTube channel

Twice TV (2015 – present)
Starring: All Twice members

What it’s about: Twice TV follows the Twice members as they go about their daily lives—album recording, music video shooting, and more. There’s more than 200 episodes to watch, so you won’t run out of vids to binge!

Where to watch: Twice’s YouTube channel

Going Seventeen (2017 – present)
Starring: All Seventeen members

What it’s about: Going Seventeen is an ongoing web series featuring the 13-member boy group Seventeen. The show began in 2017 as a vlog-style program featuring behind-the-scenes footage of the group’s activities. In 2019, it transitioned into a variety/game show series, which saw the boys take on different challenges such as bungee jumping, going to escape rooms, completing an inflatable obstacle course race, and more.

Where to watch: Seventeen’s YouTube channel, VLive

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Smashing stereotypes: Female idols in Korean variety shows

Post author By Paula
Post date 08/12/2021
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Male idols do not have a monopoly on variety shows. Female idols are just as goofy and witty on many K-entertainment programs too!

Ready to see a different side to your favorite female idols? Watch these four variety shows that feature female idols (fixed cast):

1. Amazing Saturday (Do Re Mi Market): Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon

Each episode features three representative foods from a market in South Korea. The fixed cast and the guests need to play games such as writing down the correct lyrics to various songs to win and be able to enjoy the food. Second generation K-pop group Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon joined the program as a permanent cast member in 2020.

Amazing Saturday also has a spin-off show titled Idol Dictation Contest. The show includes the following female idols in the cast: Lovelyz’s Mijoo and former IZ*ONE’s Yena.

Where to watch: Amazing Saturday channel on YouTube

2. I Live Alone: Mamamoo’s Hwasa

I Live Alone features Korean celebrities who live on their own. The program gives audiences a peek into the daily lives of actors, idols, models, and more. The hosts watch footage of themselves, as well as of invited guests. Third gen K-pop group Mamamoo’s Hwasa joined as a fixed host after previously guesting in the show.

Where to watch: Viu

3. Sixth Sense: Jessi and Lovelyz’s Mijoo

In Sixth Sense, celebrities visit various places or people considered as “hot topics” in South Korea. However, one of these places or people are completely made up by the production staff. The celebrities must then use their wits and deduction skills to figure out which of the choices is fake.

The show stars veteran comedian and television personality Yoo Jae-suk, actress Oh Nara, actress Jeon Somin, rapper Jessi, also third gen K-pop group Lovelyz’s Mijoo, and actor Lee Sangyeob.

Where to watch: Viu

4. Busted: Kim Sejeong

Busted was a whodunit variety show where the cast members were brought together to form a detective team. In every episode, the team got involved in a murder mystery that they needed to solve.

The show starred Yoo Jaesuk, actor Ahn Jaewook, singer-comedian Kim Jongmin, actor Lee Kwangsoo, actress Park Minyoung, EXO’s Sehun, former I.O.I and Gugudan’s (both third generation K-pop groups) Kim Sejeong, and actor-singer Lee Seunggi. Busted also featured idols and other celebrities as guests. The program ran for three seasons.

Where to watch: Netflix

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Beyond the Stage: Male K-pop Idols in Korean Variety Shows

Post author By Paula
Post date 08/10/2021
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Super Junior’s Kyuhyun. Photo: Raichanxd/Creative Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0

K-Pop idols are not just insanely talented in singing and dancing; they also have sharp wits and perfect comedic timing, which make them perfect for variety shows!

In need of a good laugh? Here are five Korean variety shows you can watch that feature male idols as fixed cast members:

1. Knowing Brothers (Ask Us Anything): Super Junior’s Heechul

Knowing Brothers is one of the most popular variety shows in South Korea today. This hilarious show is set in a classroom, and the fixed cast—TV show host and former ssireum (Korean wrestling) athlete Kang Hodong, comedians Lee Sugeun and Kim Youngchul, former basketball player Seo Janghoon, and singers Lee Sangmin, Kim Heechul, and Min Kyunghoon—are the students. Every week, “transfer students” guest on the show and are interviewed by the cast. The guests also participate in activities such as games and skits.

Where to watch: Netflix

2. New Journey to the West: Super Junior’s Kyuhyun, Block B’s P.O., and Winner’s Mino

Travel-reality show New Journey to the West is inspired by the Chinese novel Journey to the West, and stars Kang Hodong, Lee Sugeun, singer Eun Jiwon, actor Ahn Jaehyun, and Kyuhyun, Mino, and P.O. For each season, the cast members dress up as different characters, go on a trip, and complete various missions to receive dragon balls that will grant their wishes.

Where to watch: Viu, TvN D ENT channel on YouTube

3. 2 Days and 1 Night: VIXX’s Ravi

2 Days and 1 Night is one of South Korea’s longest-running travel reality-variety shows. In the program, the cast members go on an overnight trip around the country and play creative games to earn rewards (ex. food and indoor sleeping accommodation) and avoid punishment (ex. going into the water in winter). The show is currently on its fourth season, and stars singer-comedian Kim Jongmin, actor Yoon Junghoon, comedian Moon Seyoon, actor Kim Seonho, rapper Dindin, and VIXX’s Ravi.

Where to watch: KBS World channel on YouTube

4. Weekly Idol: Super Junior’s Eunhyuk and Hwang Kwanghee

K-pop idols get to showcase their unique talents, play games, and share interesting facts about themselves in Weekly Idol. The show is popular for its classic “Random Play Dance” and “2x Speed Dance” segments. The current season is hosted by Super Junior’s Eunhyuk and ZE:A’s Kwanghee—two idols who have also made a name for themselves as excellent TV show MCs.

Where to watch: Viki, All the K-Pop channel on YouTube

5. Amazing Saturday (Do Re Mi Market): SHINee’s Key and Block B’s P.O.

Each episode features a market from South Korea and its representative food. In the show, the fixed cast and the guests need to write down the correct lyrics to various songs to win and be able to enjoy the food.

Amazing Saturday also has a spin-off show titled Idol Dictation Contest. The show includes the following male idols in the cast: Eunhyuk, Ravi, EXO’s Kai, Golden Child’s Lee Jangjun, and Seventeen’s Seungkwan.

Where to watch: Amazing Saturday channel on YouTube