Netflix has a wide range of content and has been surprisingly great at adding Korean reality TV shows to its roster that are entertaining, extremely engaging and surprisingly relatable. While we have been extremely used to watching American reality shows with its unnecessarily scripted drama and nudity, these shows seem like they are based in reality and feature human interactions that are believable.
With The Devil’s Plan releasing in September, these entertaining Netflix Korean reality TV shows will pump you up for the upcoming competitive reality show that promises to feature interesting survival mind games with contestants ranging from celebrities to influencers, with the winner taking off with 500 million won. The shows listed here cover a wide range of subgenres, but each is as entertaining as the others and will keep you invested throughout its runtime!
8 Entertaining Netflix Korean Reality TV Shows
Busted! (2018 – 2021)
Featuring a very talented cast of well-known actors from the Korean drama world, including 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, this series for those who love a flavour of murder in their watchlist! The famous celebrities must solve murders together as they are recruited in the mysterious Project D in season 1 and eventually go on to solve K’s death in the upcoming seasons.
The series is an entertaining variety show that is funny, goofy and filled with fun moments that will keep you hooked from start to end. Also, if you fall in love with the first season, you can binge two more seasons of the show without skipping a beat! The show features some wacky set pieces as well as interactive games and situations that just make it a never-ending, fun ride.
Single’s Inferno (2022 – )
What happens when you put nine hopeful singles on a deserted island and ask them to do everything on their own, from scratch? Chaos. However, the real chaos ensues when the only way to get out of this “hellish” situation is to match up with the other eligible singles and go to paradise for a night, wherein they can enjoy all the comforts that life can offer. The competition is cut-throat, and the end result might just leave contestants blindsided!
In spite of being a dating reality show, the series never overindulges on sex or nudity and is rather tame when it comes to that. Instead, it features some genuinely sweet connections, some interesting jealousy and competition and characters whom you sometimes relate you and back up. The series, already out with two seasons, will surely keep you hooked with the romance and the competition that never really lets up!
Physical: 100 (2023 – )
Featuring some of the fittest people from Korea, this competitive reality TV show can leave anyone baffled! It features 100 bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts from all over Korea and puts them through several gruelling challenges to figure out who wins at the end. Audiences might think that the most muscular will take it all, but the challenges are made such that everyone will find one or more of them an impossible task.
The reason why this show is such a great watch is because it never really makes the audience feel that anyone is less than anyone else. Of course, all the people here are not bodybuilders, but everyone is very strong in some other department. Thus, the show proves that the book’s cover isn’t always what one can judge. There are some great moments of competition that will keep audiences’ blood pumping but in spite of it all, the competitive spirit and the respect that each and every contestant has for each other is what will win your heart.
Nineteen to Twenty (2023)
Unlike the previous entry, this is a sweet, light-hearted coming-of-age show that features a group of 19-year-olds in their last week as a teenager and their first week as an adult as they study, mature, grow together and face different challenges. These youngsters are tasked with different rules in the first week and, in the second, are given freedoms that they will have to manoeuvre through and adjust in order to live decent lives.
Although the show seems to be quite slow, it’s actually quite heartwarming and will remind you of your younger days. It’s a sweet show about growing up, learning about life and falling in love while manoeuvring adulthood and its responsibilities. There’s something just so innocent about it that if you are going through a tough time or just need a break from the heavy shows out there, this one will be the perfect fit.
Siren: Survive the Island (2023)
24 female police officers, stunt persons, firefighters, soldiers, bodyguards and athletes come together in this show about strategy and endurance to win the ultimate challenge and protect their profession’s honour. The reason why it is unique is that apart from being an all-female cast which is very inspiring, the show is not just about sheer strength. There’s a lot of strategising and planning at play here, and the mind games are utterly shocking. There’s backstabbing and jealousy involved in the midst that also keep audiences hooked to the show.
The unique games that the contestants have to go through will test all of their strengths, and no one can win them all since it plays on everyone’s strengths and weaknesses. The contestants also have to protect their homes from intruders while trying to take over the homes of others and strategies alliances to keep themselves safe. There’s a lot going on here, and if you are interested in reality shows that focus more on psychological warfare, then this is going to be extremely fun for you.
New World (2021)
Utopia has never been this challenging! 6 celebrities come together in this fun reality show wherein they have to strategies and sabotage in order to gain virtual currency and stay on top of the leaderboard. At the end of their stay, they will be able to cash out their currency. However, things aren’t as easy as they sound because, throughout their journey, they have to plan thoroughly and form smart alliances in order to win. Plus, there’s always the fear of a close one backstabbing you!
Much like the previous entry, it features a lot of planning and plotting. Although it seems fun and frothy (which it is), it also features some interesting moments of friendship and betrayal and some revelations that you will never see coming!
Korea No. 1 (2022)
Celebrity hosts meet masters of Korean culture in an attempt to learn their crafts and become the best apprentice. Of course, this feat is not easy, and they face a gruelling time throughout this journey of self-discovery. The show also serves as a teachable moment for audiences who learn about Korean culture and what goes behind the amazing things that we see in popular media.
The best part about the show is how the three hosts do their best to learn these new crafts to the best of their abilities and are humble throughout the experience. They are such fun, enthusiastic people who are always striving to do their best, and you can’t help but have a smile on your face throughout the runtime.
Change Days Season 2 (2022)
Couples who are going through a tough relationship come together in this game show to change partners and rediscover themselves and what they want in their partners. Throughout the journey, they start to understand each other better. In the end, they can choose to be with their original partners, choose a new partner they connected with in the show or stay single.
Although Netflix released only the second season on its platform, it’s a heartwarming watch to see these couples living with others in the same house and coming to terms with their changed situations. As the days pass, the participants themselves change and mature, and you see their personalities going through a change as you become more and more invested in their individual journeys. If you love slow-paced romantic shows with a hint of drama, then this one will definitely be an interesting watch.
Which one of these is your favourite Korean reality TV show? Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below!
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