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The Korea Times

By Kwak Yeon-soo
In the past, non-celebrities with unique skills and expertise could become celebrities by showing off their talents in the media – but that trend is slowly dying.
“Ordinary” individuals have started to take centre stage in shows where celebrities now simply serve as panel judges or as commentators.
From cooking competitions to dating shows, recent reality shows featuring non-celebrities have seen high ratings, in an indication of how viewers have grown tired of seeing the same old television personalities.

Chefs like Paik Jong-won, Lee Yeon-bok and Lee Won-il have shot to fame in South Korea after showing off their culinary skills and humour in cooking shows like SBS’ Alley Restaurant (2018-2021) and JTBC’s Chef & My Fridge (2014-2019).
Military training shows like Fake Men and Channel A’s The Iron Squad feature judges or contestants from Korea’s top Special Forces. These two shows were the biggest hits in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
Yuk Jun-seo, who was a part of South Korean Underwater Demolition Team, recently signed with an entertainment agency after his appearance on The Iron Squad.

Another non-celebrity show that has been creating buzz is Netflix’s Single’s Inferno, with the cast members quickly rising in popularity after their appearances. One of them, Song Ji-ah, has more than 1.9 million YouTube followers.
Critics say it is a mix of fantasy and escapism that attracts viewers to these reality stars. These non-celebrities, who nonetheless exist in a slightly heightened reality, seem more accessible than the usual high-profile, professional actors or entertainers.
“Compared to celebrities who are already well-known and over-consumed, fresh-faced ordinary stars and their natural behaviours come out as something interesting for the audience,” culture critic Kim Sung-soo says.

However, their rising popularity has been accompanied by controversy.
Although production houses undertake a verification process for people taking part in reality shows to get in front of any controversies that might surround the cast members or judges, many are revealed to have been embroiled in misconduct, such as assault or violating intellectual property rights.
Producer Kim Jae-won of Single’s Inferno revealed that they accepted contestants for the show as long as they fit the purpose of the show and were honest people. They underwent a fairly strict verification process and were tested to see if they could withstand potential stress by consulting a psychiatrist.
“I was not worried about slander or unjustified attacks because we completed the verification process,” producer Kim said during a press conference for the show.

Soon after the show gained popularity, however, Song came under fire for having worn counterfeit luxury brands on-screen. The influencer announced she would halt all her activities on social media after apologising for damaging the value of the brands.
Meanwhile, chef Jung Chang-wook, who rose to fame through cooking show Chef & My Fridge, was accused of assaulting an acquaintance and threatening them with a knife.
“As reality shows have become mainstream media, attractive young contestants are gaining popularity,” Ha Jae-keun, another culture critic, says. “However, those fast-rising stars are unable to get their problems sorted out before their screen debuts, compared to celebrities who [usually] clear up any personal issues before showing up.”
Read the full story at The Korea Times


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Fame and celebrity

How shows like Single’s Inferno reveal the dark side of reality TV fame for non-celebrities

Non-celebrities on reality TV quickly realise the dark side of their fame after stepping into the limelight, such as Song Ji-ah from Netflix dating show Single’s Inferno.

Paik Jong-won was the host of Alley Restaurant.

Yuk Jun-seo signed with an entertainment agency after appearing on The Iron Squad.

A non-celebrity show that has been creating buzz is Single’s Inferno. Photo: Netflix

Jung Chang-wook, who rose to fame through cooking show Chef & My Fridge, was accused of assaulting an acquaintance.

Hit Netflix K-reality show Single’s Inferno draws anger over ‘white skin’ comments from contestants

Song Ji-a, a Korean influencer who has about 575,000 followers on Instagram. &#xA;&#xA;CREDIT: Instagram / @dear.zia

Netflix’s new Korean dating show Single’s Inferno is a smash it, but it has also proved controversial.

Song Ji-a, one of the contestants on Single’s Inferno, is a Korean influencer who has about 575,000 followers on Instagram. Photo: Instagram/@dear.zia

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Son Ye-jin in a still from Thirty Nine.

Son Ye-jin in a still from Thirty Nine, one of seven new K-dramas to look out for in February.

Single’s Inferno star Song Ji-ah deletes YouTube, Instagram posts after fake luxury goods controversy on Netflix Korean dating show

Song Ji-ah has announced ashe will go offline after admitting to wearing fake brands online and on Single’s Inferno.

Song has apologised for wearing fake brands on Netflix dating reality show Single’s Inferno and on YouTube. 

Song rose to fame following her appearance on the Korean reality show on Netflix.

Hotter than a K-pop star, but is Netflix’s South Korean dating show Singles Inferno too hot to handle?

Contestant Kim Jun-sik in Netflix’s Korean dating reality TV show ‘Singles Inferno’. Credit: Netflix

An Yea-won, a contestant in Netflix’s Korean dating reality show ‘Singles Inferno’ Credit: Netflix

The South Korean Netflix show ‘Single’s Inferno’. Photo: Netflix

Kang So-yeon, a contestant in Netflix’s Korean dating reality TV show ‘Singles Inferno’. Credit: Netflix

Contestants in the South Korean Netflix show ‘Single’s Inferno’. Photo: Netflix

On Jin-taek is a contestant in Netflix’s Korean dating reality TV show ‘Singles Inferno’. Credit: Netflix

Shin Ji-yeon is a contestant in Netflix’s Korean dating reality TV show ‘Singles Inferno’. Credit: Netflix

Netflix reality-TV dating show Single’s Inferno contestants: what we know about gold-digging Choi Si-hun, feline Song Ji-a and their 10 rivals as the finale nears

Song Jia-a (right), the most popular contestant in Korean dating reality TV show Single’s Inferno on Netflix. Photo: Netflix

Shin Ji-yeon in Netflix’s Korean reality-TV dating show Single’s Inferno. Photo: Netflix

Moon Se-hoon in Single’s Inferno. Photo: Netflix

Contestant On Jin-taek in Single’s Inferno. Photo: Netflix

Kang So-yeon has been fingered as someone who can’t keep others’ secrets in Single’s Inferno. Photo: Netflix

An Yea-won, a Pilates instructor and model, quickly paired off with Kim Jun-sik in in Netflix’s Single’s Inferno. Credit: Netflix

Kim Jun-sik, 28, paired off with An Yea-won after his first round in Single’s Inferno. Photo: Netflix

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Artists & celebrities


Reality TV shows with ‘ordinary’ people have grown in popularity in South Korea as they seem more accessible to viewers than professional actors or entertainers
These non-celebrities often have their controversial pasts unearthed after gaining fame, such as Single’s Inferno Song Ji-ah, who was blasted for wearing fakes



While professional entertainers ensure their pasts are controversy-free before stepping into the spotlight, non-celebrities on reality TV shows often have their personal issues brought up after they gain fame.
