'Culinary Class Wars' & Other Korean Reality Shows To Watch
Whether you're into zombie survival shows or intense culinary competitions
By Michelle Lee SM -
With the success of Netflix's Single's Inferno and Physical:100, reality shows have become a major trend in South Korean content. 2024 brings a fresh slate of South Korean reality shows and variety programmes to our screens, from more dating and thrilling survival themes to a look inside the lives of the ultra-rich.
The latest K-reality show that has been on everyone's lips? Culinary Class Wars.
Things heat up in the kitchen with this cooking show that can be considered Netflix’s culinary spin on Physical:100, with the show also kicking off with 100 contestants. But here’s the twist: The contestants are split into 20 White Spoon chefs who are the creme de la creme in South Korea’s culinary scene, and 80 Black Spoons, considered the lesser-known talent. The two teams go head-to-head in a heated showdown to be the last chef standing and win 300 million KRW (approx. S$291,383).
Rounding out the cast are the judges — celebrity chef and entrepreneur Paik Jong-won and three Michelin-starred chef Anh Sung-jae, who heads fine-dining outfit Mosu.
Culinary Class Wars is now on Netflix.
Love South Korea's zombie shows like Train To Busan and All of Us Are Dead? Ever imagined what a zombie apocalypse will be like IRL?
Enter Zombieverse, where contestants experience a simulated zombie attack and fight to survive till the end — from completing quests such as looking for food or a safe space, to deciding whether to save those infected by a 'zombie'. To make it more realistic, special effects are provided by the All of Us Are Dead art team and the zombie choreographers of Kingdom.
Participants include K-pop idols, actors, TV personalities, and professionals, and the new season will see enhanced quests, heightened zombie threats, a fresh cast (there's Girls Generation's Taeyeon), and an expanded universe. In season 2, titled Zombieverse 2: New Blood, the virus spreads faster and the newcomers get involved in a mission to create a vaccine for the zombie virus.
And if you couldn't get enough of Single's Inferno S2 contestant Kim Jinyoung in the first season, you'll be glad to know that the heartthrob will return to our screens again for the next season.
Zombieverse 2: New Blood premieres on Netflix on Nov 19, 2024.
If you love the glitz, glam, and drama of shows like Bling Empire, here's your next binge-watching fix.
This show promises an inside look into the jaw-dropping extravagance in South Korea, and you'll get a peek into the lives of Singaporean tycoons, the glamour of the Arab world's elite, Pakistani nobles, and chic Italian fashion icons, all bound by their love for Korean culture.
It is hosted by South Korean comedian Cho Sae-ho, and K-pop idols BamBam of Got7 and Oh My Girl member Mimi Coolly.
Super Rich In Korea is now on Netflix.
What would some of your favourite K-stars be doing if they weren't leading the celebrity life?
On variety show My Name Is Gabriel, well-known Korean celebs get whizzed to another part of the globe ( from Chiang Mai to Chongqing, Guadalajara, and Dublin) to live someone else’s life for 72 hours. Not only will they be assigned a 'new life' by an AI algorithm, but they'll also be separated from their friends, family, and publicists. And they'll be challenged to fit into their new homes, live with a new family, and work someone else’s job.
Catch actor Park Bo-gum (Reply 1988), actor Ji Chang-wook (The Worst of Evil), comedian Park Myung-soo (Infinite Challenge), actress Yeom Hye-ran (The Glory), TV host Gabee and even Blackpink's Jennie on the show.
My Name Is Gabriel is now on Disney+.
This upcoming variety show stars a cast of six "agents of mystery" who join hands to solve paranormal mysteries within six hours, relying on their quick thinking and teamwork. You can expect to see popular K-pop idols such as Aespa's Karina and popular singer-actress Lee Hyeri in the cast.
Agents of Mystery is now on Netflix.
Physical: 100, Netflix's survival production was a global hit last year, and the highly anticipated season two dropped in March this year.
Likened to K-drama Squid Game (without the deaths), the series pits 100 contestants against each other in a show of physical fitness, strength and agility. For the second season, the programme is set against the backdrop of an underground mine, with challenging new tasks and unexpected twists.
Apart from the gruelling tasks, a highlight is the sportsmanship shown by the participants. And speaking of which, you can expect them to range from renowned athletes like Kim Dong-hyun, the first Korean UFC fighter, and judo gold medallist Lee Won-hee, to FBI diplomats, police officers, military personnel, actors and even K-pop idols. Pssst: Single's Inferno S1's Kang So-yeon is also part of the line-up.
The last contestant standing takes home a whopping KRW300 million, which is roughly the equivalent of S$301,124.
Physical: 100 Season 2 is now on Netflix.
Fans of Disney Plus' The Zone: Survival Mission can look forward to the highly anticipated third season of the Korean variety show. Except this time, it will be without fan favourite Lee Kwang-soo, who formed part of the show’s trio of cast alongside Korea’s “Nation MC” Yu Jae-seok and the Kpop girl group Girls’ Generation Kwon Yuri.
Taking his place will be Single’s Inferno star Dex and former UFC fighter Kim Donghyun, with the four hosts set to find themselves fighting to survive in a series of progressively more hilarious challenges. Previously pitted against zombies, a haunted hospital, glue traps, puzzles and more, tune in to discover what challenges await.
The Zone: Survival Mission Season 3 is now on Disney+.
You'll get an insight into the world of social media content creators as 77 influencers battle it out in a high-stakes survival competition to determine who has the most social media influence.
From models and rappers to hair and makeup artists, gamers and fitness instructors (and man who cooks meat), the content creators come from various platforms and compete to complete various missions.
The Influencer is now on Netflix.