5 K-pop idol variety shows you can binge watch

Variety shows are an innate part of Korean entertainment and pop culture, with K-pop idols being involved in many of these shows. Shows like Running Man, Infinite Challenge, 2 Days & 1 night pushed forth this revolution of variety shows to include various quizzes, challenges, and tasks with punishments for the losing team.

K-pop idols use variety shows as a means to connect with their fans and gain more popularity. Since shows like these have been popular and loved by many, it gives these new idols a chance to get a fanbase by showing off their more relaxed and laidback side, not one that most viewers are used to seeing on stage.

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5 must watch K-pop idol variety shows

1) RUN BTS

RUN BTS is the supergroup BTS' variety show that was first released on VLive in 2015. It was slated to run for one season, but after seeing the immense popularity it had garnered amongst ARMYs, it has become an ongoing show that is currently on hiatus but will be broadcast again soon, every Tuesday.

In RUN BTS, the boys perform many missions such as sports and quiz competitions, learn new skills such as cooking, pottery, and flower arrangement, and enjoy many games. It is a time for BTS to unwind and enjoy the fun-filled activities the producers have planned for them.

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2) Going Seventeen

Released on YouTube in 2017, Going Seventeen is a variety show starring the 13 members of the K-pop group SEVENTEEN who are at the mercy of their producers. It started off as a behind the scenes show of the group's activities but was later turned into a variety show. A new episode is released every Wednesday.

They're made to perform various tasks like cooking for themselves on a limited supply of materials during vacations, going to a horror house, and much more. CARATs enjoy watching their idols go through various trials and tribulations as it makes for entertaining content.

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3) Time to Twice

Time to Twice is girl group TWICE's variety show which was first released in 2020. The show has multiple seasons till now and each season has five episodes. All the seasons have different themes and the nine-member group performs various activities like camping and karaoke, related to that theme in the episodes.

This content lets ONCEs witness a different side of TWICE they would not usually be able to see. Viewers get to unwind after a busy week every Friday when a new episode is released.

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4) MONSTA X-RAY

MONSTA X-RAY is K-pop group MONSTA X's variety show that only has three seasons. It was released in 2017 on YouTube and discontinued after that. It was a refreshing show where along with various tasks and missions, the members played numerous pranks on each other. Always trying to one-up the other, their competitive spirits were the highlight of the show. The members also performed many skits in the episodes which were based on either folklore or popular Korean dramas.

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5) NCT LIFE

NCT Life, released in 2016, is K-pop group NCT's variety show documenting their life in the city. Since NCT's concept is rather unique, this show does not always include all the members. Some seasons may include a certain group of members, while others may have a different combination of members.

The concept of this show is to combine travel and NCT's daily life. The group travels to various parts of Korea, and sometimes even outside of Korea where the members vacation while carrying out their daily activities.

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It has now become the norm for every new K-pop group to start their own variety show as a way to connect with their fans, giving them the opportunity to showcase more of their personalities behind the scenes.