Netflix’s New World is a Korean reality tv series that follows the journey of six celebrities living on a utopian, a little mystical island. The show is Cho Hyo-jin and Go Min-Seok and features a cast known to us all. The participants on this journey include Kim Hee-chul, more commonly known as Heechul, South Korean rapper Eun Ji-won, Temperature of Love actress Jo Bo-ah, singer Lee Seung-gi, comedian Park Na-rae and Exo’s Kim Jong-in aka Kai. Netflix has released the first two episodes of the series with a weekly release planned out. The episodes are more than an hour long.
– Netflix’s New World Review does not contain spoilers –
New World: Episode 1 & Episode 2
The show starts off with a vibe that feels like a crossover between The White Lotus and Nine Perfect Strangers as the celebrities are greeted on their arrival at the island called “New World” and escorted to their individual houses in the island. The place is not secluded and has other people alongside our prime six. All these facts are reaffirmed in our memory in an encyclopaedia-like way on screen. In fact, we acquire new information about the utopian world where everyone’s houses are according to their wish, be it an exotic interior by the sea or a house full of gaming computers, all of it is true.
However, further down in the first episode we come to know what this entire unscripted show is going to be about. We meet AI Holo who informs the participants and the audience about what awaits them. The stay on the island is going to be six days long and no one can leave until the 6th day. Meanwhile, the participants will get phones which are connected to the island’s network that shows them the path around the island, their fellow friends and a banking app that consists of virtual money. This virtual money is what they need to sustain on the island.
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The participants can choose to save or spend the money provided to them and also, find ways to acquire additional funds. By the end of six days, when they return back to their world the money left in the account is going to become real and converted into the South Korean currency won. However, their stay is entailed six different adventures every single day, like never before (a universal version for Takashi’s castle, if you may).
The show entertains us as we walk with the characters on their journey through the New World island. The participants find Pandora’s box laid out around the entire island during the course of episode one, which has its own story to tell. On the second day, group activities take place that is picked on a majority vote, which hints towards the strong bond the participants seem to share. Some lose their virtual currency while some score and a mystical air are set across the entire two episodes almost making it seem like a fairytale retake on reality tv.
New World: Final Thoughts
New World is a really enjoyable show with such and relatable participants who are celebrities, making us feel more connected to them. The games and situations are fun and it is a breath of fresh air to find reality tv that is purely enjoyable without the melodrama of snarky fights and desperate relationship-seeking plot. It is fun, cute and makes you feel enchanted.
You can watch New World now streaming on Netflix. The next two episodes of the series are scheduled to release on 27th November 2021.
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