K-pop variety shows are very popular. When K-pop groups take breaks between their comeback promotions and world tours, the entertaining variety shows keep fans hooked.
Variety shows featuring K-pop idols also help fans connect to the group differently. From revealing the chaotic equations of the members to delivering fun twists at the end of a mission, the shows are must-watches for fans. Here, we look at top Korean variety shows of idols that remain popular years after their releases.
Going Seventeen
K-pop trendsetters Seventeen have been keeping fans entertained with their variety show Going Seventeen since its premiere on June 12, 2017. The show has already run for six seasons, and a special episode of the series was released on March 13, 2024.
The show’s concept is simple- all members of Seventeen participate in fun games and challenges to defeat one another. The prizes can be silly or huge, but the team gives it their all to win the missions. Fans can watch Going Seventeen on Seventeen’s official YouTube channel.
Enhypen’s EN- O’CLOCK
K-pop’s rising icon Enhypen showed the strength of their friendships and the zeal to win any game through the variety show EN-O’CLOCK. All seven members of Enhypen, including Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, Jungwon, and Ni-ki, participate in trivia and games where a team or an individual emerges as the winner.
The show has released over 86 episodes, and fans can check out new episodes of EN-O’CLOCK on Enhypen’s official YouTube channel. Along with the main episodes, Enhypen also shares behind-the-scenes footage of the show on Weverse.
Ateez WANTED
Ateez‘s variety show Wanted had an intriguing concept. In its seven episodes, Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, and Jongho went on a quest for treasure.
The group traveled to different parts of South Korea and solved clues to find out the ultimate location of the treasure. Ever since its release, Wanted has been a popular show, garnering over 1 million views in each episode. All the episodes of Wanted are under 20 minutes, making them perfect for fans who want to get a taste of the group’s chaotic nature.
Time To TWICE
Time to TWICE is the second variety show they filmed together as a team. It debuted on April 3, 2020, during the pandemic and made stay-at-home games extremely popular. Fans got a new episode every Friday, and the K-pop act also incorporated popular games into the show, giving it a new edge.
From the ‘Fake Squid Game’ mission to the TWICE special Chocolate Factory episode, fans saw a variety of concepts throughout the show.
Run BTS
One of the most famous K-pop variety shows of all time is Run BTS. It has earned its fame by showing that even a close-knit group of seven friends can betray each other for a Ramen maker! From Jimin’s ‘lachimolala’ meme moment to Kim Taehyung’s famous betrayal of his friends, Run BTS contributed several treasured moments to ARMY (BTS fans).
Run BTS ran for three seasons and contained over 99 episodes in total. The show is on hiatus as the group serves in the Korean military. But fans are looking forward to the group’s reunion in 2025 and new episodes of Run BTS, which are expected to resume next year.
Along with the shows mentioned above, SuperM’s Mtopia, NCT Life, Le Sserafim’s Leniverse are some of the most popular variety shows that K-pop fans can’t miss.
