A Korean variety show is something you should watch if you have never seen one. It’s something Netflix wants to alter…
While it’s no secret that Netflix will continue to spend extensively in the Korean entertainment sector, it also hopes to increase its footprint in other nations where K-culture is a popular item (which, yes, includes the United States). If you want proof, check out the teaser Netflix released for its forthcoming “Global Fan Event” TUDUM (a phonetic pronunciation of its famous entrance sound that accompanies its logo), in which a variety of celebrities are shown uncomfortably figuring out not just how to say “TUDUM.”
On Twitter, Netflix also released some promotional images featuring K-pop stars Kai (aka Kim Jongin, from the group EXO) and Heechul (aka Kim Hee-chul, from the group Super Junior and Netflix’s Men on a Mission). This is a sign that Netflix wants to invest some of its considerable promotional power behind its K-content, specifically its forays into Korean variety shows…
It’s hard to compare Korean variety programs to anything we see on American television, but they do have certain similarities. They were popular in the 1970s, but they were mainly phased out. The only remaining example is Saturday Night Live (a comedy sketch variety programme), which belongs to the comedy sketch variety show genre. When it comes to advertising its star guests, the Korean variety show style is similar to the American talk show model, however the Korean format tries to reframe or entirely eliminate dull talking portions in favor of stressing games, gimmicks, and high-concept humor.
There are so many different types of Korean variety shows that it may be difficult to categorize them. However, the genre as a whole typically incorporates features of contemporary reality television, such as travel and competition. As an example of a Korean variety programme, check out BTS’ long-running variety show Run BTS or a more generic example like Running Man.) As a rule, Korean variety programs are entertaining, chaotic in nature, and (when done correctly) enable its guests to be themselves, which tends to make viewers like them even more (and like watching the show even more).
