Knowing Bros, Master In The House & more: 5 Korean shows that’ll give you a sneak peek into an idol’s life!

The best part about being in the Korean fandom is the well of content we get from different platforms of our idols. Not just music or well-set elaborate performances and storylines, but we also get them doing silly challenges, taking part in friendly competitions, mingling with other groups, traveling the country with them and so much more! 

In a world where lockdown never seems to end, our way of escaping reality is solely dependent on entertainment. A quick remedy for being happy and laughing your guts out are Korean variety shows. Made for the sole purpose of providing entertainment, it’s a win-win-win situation for the show hosts, the celebrities who feature on the show and their fandom (sometimes to-be-fans, too). It gives a simple, ordinary perspective of how idols actually behave in real life, when faced with real and nonsensical situations. 

So without further ado, let’s jump into a list of shows where your favourite Korean celebrities feature and have a great time of their lives, leaving you gasping for air and wanting for more!

Running Man

A 90-minute powerhouse of a game show, this is one of the most popular of South Korean variety shows. Consisting of Yoo Jae Suk, Haha, Ji Suk Jin, Song Ji Hyo, Kim Jong Kook, Jun So Min, Lee Kwang Soo and Yang Se Chan, it’s the perfect entertainer for any day. From unfaltering teamwork to betrayals and serious competitions, this is a total rollercoaster ride and will have you laughing even if you don’t understand what’s going on! They’ve even featured some of the biggest Western artists such as Tom Cruise, Ryan Reynolds, Adria Arjona and Stephen Curry.

Master In The House

A show where you can not just get sneak peeks into a celebrities’ life, but also their homes, Master In The House has a fixed cast of five people staying two nights and a day at a Koraen celebrity’s house. The latest episode features the KPop legend Rain and his wife, Kim Tae Hee, with a short air-time for Rain’s first very own boy group. The show is getting more popular because one of the cast members is ASTRO’s Cha Eun Woo. When it comes to celebrities, this show features a popular star from each industry - whether sports, business, dance, music or anything else. On the second day, the MCs are tasked with a challenge. This is a great entertainer if you like watching people try their hand at new skills every week.

Knowing Bros

Set in a classroom concept, this is another of the most popular variety shows out there. It’s a haven for KPop and KDrama fans as it mostly caters to the music industry celebrities. The cast or “students” consists of Seo Jang Hoon, Lee Soo Geun, Kang Ho Dong, Kim Young Chul, LeeSang Min and Min Kyung Hoon. Every week they feature a KPop or KDrama celebrity as a “transfer student” and have candid conversations and fun challenges with them. We definitely recommend this show 10/10! 

Busted Season 1 and 2

Seven celebrities trying to play detective and figure out murder mysteries every week with a new feature guest - what’s there to not like it? Yoo Jae-suk, Ahn Jae-wook, Kim Jong-min, Lee Kwang-soo, Park Min-young, Oh Se-hun, Kim Se-jeong and Lee Seung-gi are part of a private detective agency called “K” who have to find the serial killer named “Flower Killer”. Each week they feature many different Korean celebrities. This show has brains, laughter, fun, betrayal, conspiracy and definitely ticks the complete entertainer list! 

I Live Alone

If you want a drama away from silly challenges and made up characters, I Live Alone will be your best friend. This variety is all about popular celebrities going on about their daily lives but in the comfort of their homes, like regular people. It has featured big names like Park Seo Joon, Brave Girls, Jessi and many more. 

Also Read: Idol Variety Shows and the pandemic: Is the entertainment worth the risk?

What do you think of our list? How many of these have you watched? Tell us in the comments section below!