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The Korea Times

By Kim Jae-heun
Netflix has been successful in making hit original television drama series in South Korea like Kingdom, Squid Game and most recently Hellbound. However, it has been quiet in the sector of reality shows, despite its continuous efforts to make one since 2018.
There has only been one original series in the reality show category, Paik’s Spirit, featuring restaurateur Paik Jong-won, which made it into Netflix’s top 10 list for viewers in Korea. It reached the highest place of fifth in October.
The show’s success led Netflix to scout superstar reality show producer Kim Tae-ho, who released all 10 episodes of his new television show The Hungry and the Hairy on December 11.

Whether this new show will be another hit or not is not yet known, as it has only been a few days since its release, but Netflix is expecting a lot from it.
Not only did Kim take part in this project, but it was also joined by other well-known producers such as Jang Woo-sung and Lee Ju-won. K-pop star Rain and television personality Noh Hong-chul star as they travel across Korea on their motorbikes, indulging in local food and scenery.
This year, Netflix has been emphasising the importance of producing original content in the reality show category.
Enjoyed Squid Game? 6 other K-dramas and films you should see
Kim Min-young, Netflix vice-president of content (APAC ex-India), said during a recent press conference that “watching variety shows produced by local television networks, like JTBC’s Knowing Bros, that receive a lot of love from audiences globally” gives him a firm belief that Netflix too will make a hit with original content.
Netflix has already revealed its plan to invest 550 billion won (US$465 million) in making more successful Korean original content.
Other players in the over-the-top platform market, such as CJ ENM’s TVing, are also banking on producing reality shows, as they tend to attract customers and keep them hooked.

Reality television series have recently emerged as a new “dark horse” because of the advantage of their cost-effectiveness.
“It costs less to produce entertainment shows compared to television dramas,” an industry source said. “And if you make one well, it is easier for the genre to go viral and become very successful in the original content category. Also, if it becomes successful, you can make second and third seasons based on it.”
Read the original story at the Korea Times


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The Hungry and the Hairy is Netflix’s latest attempt to make a Korean entertainment show that is as popular as hit Korean dramas like Squid Game and Hellbound.

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A still from The Hungry and the Hairy.

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The Hungry and the Hairy follows K-pop star Rain and TV personality Noh Hong-chul as they travel across Korea on motorbikes sampling the food and scenery
Netflix commissioned it after the success of Paik’s Spirit. Reality TV appeals to broadcasters because it is cheaper to produce than dramas, an insider says



Series featuring K-pop star Rain and a companion touring Korea on motorbikes to take in the food and scenery is a bet by Netflix that Korean reality TV can produce hits like K-dramas Squid Game and Hellbound.


South Korea

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