Have you noticed that there are fewer Korean variety programs on television these days? With the rise of social media platforms and the digital age, many celebrities and personalities have migrated to hosting their own channels and platforms. Furthermore, there's been a discernible shift towards talk-based formats, overshadowing past playful and humorous game-centric shows. These light-hearted shows once dominated our screens and brought laughter to countless viewers. It's perhaps a nostalgic yearning, but there's undoubtedly a space for these iconic variety programs to make a resurgence. Let's revisit five such beloved shows that many hope to see revived!
1. "Sunday Night X-Man": Try to find the spy among the contestants as they go through a series of games, from monkey bars to dangyeonhaji ("of course"). "Sunday Night X-Man" was a top-rated variety show back in the early 2000s, with the top two hosts, Yoo Jae Suk and Kang Ho Dong, being the MCs for this program. This show was also great because there were various stars, from actors to singers.
2. "Heroine 6": Before there was "Knowing Bros," you had "Heroine 6," a school setting with six of the funniest female comedians who invited guests to become their school partners so that they could play games together. It was a truly hilarious show, and it was great to see all these comedians gathered in one classroom, dropping so many jokes and making the guests laugh and have a good time.
3. "High Society": Unlike other variety programs, "High Society" stood out because it took place in two rooms on top of the roof. With host Lee Soo Geun and Kim Byung Man, the chemistry between these two hosts was unbeatable. Trying to survive on the rooftop with the various guests they invited.
4. "Love Letter": We rarely get to see much interaction between groups, but "Love Letter" became a viewer favorite as participants became paired up as couples to see which couple would come out on top. This was also the show where Bae Seul Gi's "Bokggo dance" became a mega-hit.
5. "Star Golden Bell": Consisting of mini-games that have specific prize amounts, "Star Golden Bell" was a game show where 20 celebrity guests competed with each other; this is also where the infamous rhythm phrase game became popular.
I eagerly hope the return of such classic variety shows to our screens in the near future!
Star Golden Bell, Strong Heart, and Happy Together for me.