TV Shows You Need to Watch

Hi, guys. It's Tuesday already, let's start the counting down to long weekend, two days left. Jakarta's drizzling since earlier morning, and now, it's gloomy. Laying on my bed with warm blanket on this kinda day is such a luxury I guess. 

In this post, I am going to write about Korean TV shows, especially its variety/game shows. You guys, should know, that Korea aint all about a group of guy who is metrosexual with flawless faces or a group of girls with goddess appearance (slim, tall, white skin, etc etc). No, it's more than that. Korea became an influential country since the early 21st century thanked to the its entertainment industry which made it viral. Its drama, its music even its skincare products became worldwide hits. No need to mention, right?

For those who haven't fallen for Korea, but being a bit sceptical, might thought that Korea aint that interesting, especially about its TV shows. They might wonder, what so special with Korean TV shows? What does differ it from another TV shows? Why do people laugh a lot everytime they watch Korean TV shows. Here, I'll try to tell you the reasons behind.

Living in Indonesia, with its weak and somehow nonsense TV shows which is supposed to be entertainment to fill the leisure time. Gossips, uncontrollable comedy, and endless dramatic soap operas dominate the TV shows. Sure, it's so unbearable boring for audience. So, personally I think it's such a good idea to watch Korean TV shows instead, especially its variety/game shows.

Speaking of which, the reason why I prefer variety/game shows to drama is that I don't have too much patience. I mean like, since the Korean dramas usually have intense plot that make us curious, I somehow can't wait to wait then watch it 16 episodes in a certain period of time. You know, the dramas usually are aired once or twice a week, and you can't wait for the next episode like crazy. Meanwhile, if you wait till the drama's done, than I felt like I need to finish it in one go, so somehow it consisted 16 episodes, 1 hour long for each episode. Lol, that's why, I aint so into it, but the main actor is my favorite one hahahahahaha. However, compared to Indonesian soap opera, Korean drama placed on higher level. Why? Because, for Indonesian soap opera, the complicated plot can be easily predicted and the stories mostly mainstream. I mean like, you know, it's all about the antagonist and protagonist who fight for wealth and money, or the backstreet love or something like that which is shown in super long period. I am so done with that. While, Korean dramas have various themes and genres. It sometimes told us about a love story but covered by the life of being a prosecutor, or doctor, or soldier, or journalist or whoever. So it gave us at least an imagination how certain professions look like. It's amazing. Even for fiction stories, it's such a whole package. The stories itself, the plot, the actors, the crews were truly creative.

However, if it comes to variety/games shows, it's different with the dramas. Ya, Korean TV shows, either drama or variety/game shows, are aired once twice a week. For variety/game shows case, mostly it's aired continuously once a week, yet it has different theme for each week. So, we don't need to rush to watch it. And, the plus point people need to know is, that they are not only entertaining, but also have a mission to tell (sometimes it’s educative as well) which is packaged in a classy yet fascinating way. Here I’ll give you my recommendation of Korean variety/game shows which is worth to watch (according to me, may be you have another options).

1.     Law of The Jungle

Law of the Jungle

It’s a variety show with a concept about survival in the wild jungle aired by SBS (fyi, it aint scripted). It usually takes places outside South Korea, somehow in Australia, somehow in America, somehow in Asia, even ever several times took places in Indonesia (Manado, Padang, Mentawai, Komodo Island, Flores). The places sometimes are isolated, like seriously hard to get, such as a small island surround by ocean, etc. I even can’t imageine how the crews get the places with lots of shooting equipments to bring while lots of traps and obstacles provided by nature. So guys, if you guys fond of such a variety show related to the nature, then I strongly recommend it. Compared to the product of local TV station, My Trip My Adventure, it’s a quite different. For Law of The Jungle, the casts are alternately changing (except Byung Man) for each session (every session consists of 5-7 episodes, taken in one place) and its casts come from various backgrounds, singer, actor, athlete, comedian, etc either men or women. Don’t underestimate the casts, please. Even though they are artists or whoever, the don’t act cheesy or bossy, but they are tough, hardworking, and not so picky. Also, the casts are not allowed to bring too much and advance equipments (when the bring, it’ll be taken by the crews), so it’s literally a survival show. They have to make fire with stone, wood and iron, they need to make a shelter from the woods and leaves around, they need to feed themselves by hunting food like tarzaan (cathcing fish, or everything that is edible to eat, they even ever eat Biawak to survive from hunger). So it’s really interesting to watch how the casts cooperate to survive and how the explore the wild and find the treasure inside. I really love it. For my case, I even fell for some of idols as the impact of watching this kinda show, such as Yook Seungjae of BTOB, Eunji Apink, Kim Sejong Gugudan, Cho Boah, Hani EXID, etc ect. You guys go watch it, I guarantee you’ll never regret it.

2.  Two Days One Night (2 Days 1 Night), is a game show aired by KBS which is shown every Sunday. This game show basically has a mission to promote Korean culture and tourism that the casts go to entire country (mostly in country side) while playing some games in super fun ways in two days and 1 night long.

Source: allkpop

     This show just reached its 10 years anniversary by this year, so it can be said that the show last quite long. The casts aint changing for each weak, or simply we can say it has the fix member, but somehow there will be guests to join them. What I love the most from this show is, that they can visualize how Korean look like and also the casts show the audience strong friendships between them. I mean like, yeah, maybe during the shooting, they got closer to each other and became a family. The jokes the casts usually made were also dope, it’s refreshing yet not too much (I can’t close my jaw somehow, tho). For each game the played, there always a punishment, which is sleeping outside when the night comes. Last but not least, this show introduced me to my love, Jung Joon Young. Aw! I love you, baby, I really do!

3.    Running man

Source: hellokpop.com

    This kinda game show maybe the most famous one, the most popular one all over the world. With 7 former members Yoo Jaeseok, Ji Seokjin, Lee Kwangsoo, Haha, Kang Gary (no longer participates in), Kim Jongkook, Song Jihyo, and additional members Jeon Somin and Yang Sechan, Running Man continues its success. The show basically a physical game, and what made it well known is the ripping nametag game at the end of the show. For the last half year, the show has a lil bit different concept. I mean, it’s not only about ripping nametag but also about secure themselves (the casts) from the terrible punishment, such as go to the crocodile cage in Australie, crossing wood bridge above the sea in Indonesia, riding giant swing in extreme height in New Zealand, etc). It gets more and more interesting and funny that I can’t hold my laugh. I lost my mind for somehow hahahahah. They usually also has guests that would attract the audiences so much more, such as Super Junior, Bigbang, WannaOne, etc etc. You guys, don’t hesitate just watch it.

I guess this post is quite long already, I doubt that you guys will get bored while reading this. So I decide to continue the review about Korean TV shows, especially variety/game shows and my recommendation. You can watch all the variety/game shows I've mentioned on kshow123.net or kshowonline.com (with English subtitle). So guys, please stay tune.

Xoxo

fv