LTA KPOP 2 EP 7: Top 10 SBS Shows

Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) is a national South Korean television and radio network company. The current logo was introduce on November 14, 2000; after its 10th anniversary celebrations. SBS has not only given us, the viewers, amazing and excellent dramas over the past years they have also given us variety show programs revolving around music, entertainment, society, culture and education.

In today list, I am telling you about my favorite variety shows that have came out from SBS. There was a lot to choose from but I pick out my favorite one to watch, the ones I kept up with every week and ones I really miss. Let's get started.


1. Running Man

Running Man is a variety show forming part of SBS's Good Sunday lineup. It first aired on July 11, 2010. Running Man was classified as an 'urban action variety'; a genre of variety shows in an urban environment. The MCs and guests were to complete missions at a landmark to win the race. The show has since shifted to a more familiar reality-variety show concept focused on games. It has garnered attention as being the comeback program for Yoo Jae Suk, the main MC of the program, after leaving Good Sunday's Family Outing in February 2010.

The show has become popular in other parts of Asia and has gained online popularity among Hallyu fans, having been fan-subbed into various languages. The show has made it to the list of Business Insider's 20 TV shows of 2016.

As of June 17, 2019, the current format starting from episode 48, the members have taken part in a series of missions to become the winner(s) at the end of the race. Missions form the basis of Running Man as members try to avoid punishment in earlier episodes or to win prizes. Multiple missions are presented in each episode, with the highlight of Running Man being race missions. The format of the show has veered away from the 'race mission + others' to 'one continuous race + missions'.

Over the last nine years, the members of Running Man consist of Yoo Jae Suk, Haha, Ji Suk Jin, Kim Jong Kook, Lee Kwang Soo, Song Ji Hyo, Gary, Song Joong Ki, Lizzy, Jeon So Min and Yang Se Chan.


2. Master in the House

Master in the House is also known as All the Butlers is a variety show starring Lee Seung Gi, Lee Sang Yoon, Yang Se Hyung and Yook Sung Jae of BTOB. This marks the first fixed variety show for Lee Seung Gi since his discharge from his military service and for Lee Sang Yoon, this will be his first fixed variety show of his career. The first episode aired on December 31, 2017.

The cast spends two days and one night together with a famous figures of various fields known as Master and get to know about the lives of the Masters, in hopes of gaining knowledge and wisdom.

3. Law of the Jungle

Law of the Jungle is a reality documentary show that airs on SBS. Each episode features celebrities sent to survive in remote locations around the world. The show first aired on October 21, 2011. South Korean comedian Kim Byung Man created the show in 2011 under Kim Byung Man's Law of the Jungle. In each location, the guest are tasked to hunt, prepare meals, and create shelter for the group. Celebrities include actors, KPOP artist, models, athletes, chefs, and comedian. Kim Byung Man is the show's only regular cast member.

4. Strong Heart

Strong Heart is a talk show or talk battle original hosted by Kang Ho Dong and Lee Seung Gi. Later Lee Seung Gi host it by himself before Lee Dong Wook and Shin Dong Yup took over. Boom and Super Junior's member Leeteuk, Shindong and Eunhyuk appear as host of a speical segmetn and regular guest along with Kim Hyo Jin, Jung Ju Ri, and Yang Se Hyung.

About twenty guest stars tell emotional (strong) stories to make people cry or laugh. The best storyteller wins the show. Strong Heart give viewers and fans a chance to look into the lives of stars by listening to their stories. Many starts come on the show and share stories about their hardships in debuting, strange experiences or some other funny situations that have occurred in their lives. Celebrities has also used their time on the show to try to clear up rumors. From times to time there are also less famous stars invited so that they can have a chance to share their stories. This is important as most of the time when these stories are told on Strong Heart, it is the first time they have ever been told.

5. Inkigayo

Inkigayo translate to English is The Music Trend and is previously known as the Popular Song which is a music program broadcast by SBS. It airs live every Sunday and features some of the latest and most popular artists who perform on stage. It is currently being host by Mingyu of SEVENTEEN and Shin Eun Soo. It debuted in 1991 but was later cancel in 1993. It was later revived in 1998 with its original title and format. In 2003, the chart fomat was removed and was replace by Take 7, where seven of the most popular artists from the week are featured and the most popular artist received the award for Mutizen Song. In spring of 2007, the program changes from a recorded broadcast to a live broadcast in an effort to boost ratings as well as changing the name to the current name. On July 10, 2012, SBS announced revamping the show by removing the Take 7 system and Mutizen Song award, therefore abolishing the ranking system. In 2013 of March, the program announced the revival of the chart system with Inkigayo Chart.

6. My Ugly Duckling

My Ugly Duckling is also known as Mom's Diary: My Ugly Duckling or My Little Old Boy which is a reality show. This reality program focuses on the mothers of South Korean celebrities. Unlike the generic reality program which focuses solely on the celebrity, it features commentary from the celebrities' mothers as they watch the footage of their sons and/or daughters' daily activities. It is currently host by Shin Dong Yup and Seo Jang Hoon. The mother consists of Lee Sun Mi, Ji In Sook, Lee Ok Jin, Cho Hye Seon, and Choi Mal Soon. The son/daughter consists of Kim Gun Mo, Park Soo Hong, Tony An, Lee Sang Min, Kim Jong Kook, Hong Jin Young.

7. Fantastic Duo

Fantastic Duo is a television music show. In the first season, three to four Korean singers will compete each other in order to find and be the 'Fantastic Duo'. Through the singing application 'everySing' five to ten runners-up from ordinary people were selected and from there, three contestants were selected and will appear in the show. The contestants later compete with each other in a 1:3 random competition, where the singers would choose one of the three contestants to be his/her 'Fantastic Duo'. Later a final performance will be conducted, and the duo which received the highest votes out of 300 audiences will be crowned as the winner. In the second season, the rules have been modified so now it features two or three singers, each with their own panelists and sub MC's in a team-style match. Through the application 'everySing', eight candidates will be chosen and from there, five contestants will appear in the show. The contestants will enter the 1:5 match, where the singer will choose three out of the five contestants. The contestants who doesn't get chosen from the singer iwll be eliminated. The remaining contestants will go into teh standard 1:3 random competition where the last remaining contestant will be his/her 'Fantastic Duo'. The singer with their chosen contestants will go to the final round, where the duo with the most votes out of 200 will be the 'Fantastic Duo'.

The host of this show is Jun Hyun Moo with Yoon Sang, Park Myeong Su, Seo Jang Hoon, Jang Yun Jeong and Han Jee Jun as regular panelist. In the second season, Jun Hyun Moo is joined by Lee So Ra (until episode 6), Kim Bum Soo and Kim Jun Hyun being panel team leader. The regular panelist are Jang Yun Jeong, Bada, Yang Yo Seob of HIGHLIGHT, DinDin, Kim Eana, and Yoon Il Sang.

8. Baek Jong Won

Baek Jong Won is a chef who has host many cooking series with his name attached to the titles. He is a food researcher, entertainer, writer, essayist and businessman.

Baek Jong Won's Top 3 Chef King

Top 3 Chef King is a cooking variety program which has been broadcast since August 28, 2015. Baek Jong Won is joined by Kim Jun Hyun, Lee Hwi Jae, Hani of EXID, Soyou of SISTAR, and Lee Si Young are host and Kim Ji Min and Kim Hwan as fixed guest. Tzuyu and Dahyun of TWICE, Hong Jin Young, Jung Eun Ji of APINK, Park Seon Young and Han Chae Ah have join the show as special host too.

Baek Jong Won's Food Truck

Food Truck is a cooking variety show broadcast from July 21, 2017 to December 29, 2017. The program is hosted by Baek Jong Won and Kim Sung Joo. Sunny of Girls' Generation serve as a special host in one episode.

Baek Jong Won's Alley Restaurant

Alley Restaurant is a cooking variety show broadcast since January 5, 2018. It is currently hosted by Baek Jong Won adn Gim Seong Ju. Kim Se Jeong of gugudan, Jo Bo Ah and Jung In Sun has serve as special co-host for the show.

9. Intimate Note

 Intimate Note is a variety show host by Moon Hee Jun and Kim Gu Ra. Each episode is with a new guest and something different therefore is it always changing.

Since there is no information or picture given, I am putting a video of Girls' Generation episode. Other artists like Super Junior, Kim Jong Kook, Big Bang, Fly to the Sky and Wonder Girls has been on the show. This is just an example video of how much fun this variety show was.


10. Roommate

Roommate is a show that features eleven celebrities living together in a share house, sharing common spaces such as the kitchen, living room, and washroom as well as household tasks. The house features sixty cameras and five bedrooms. This show was part of the Good Sunday lineup that was schdule to air on April 20, 2014 but was push back due to the Sewol ferry tragedy and aired on May 4, 2014. Six of teh original eleven roommates left the show ending the first season and seven new roommates were added for a brand new season beginning on September 21, 2014. The second season was cancelled due to low rating with the final episode airing on April 14, 2015. It was confirmed that there will be no season 3.

Season 1 members consisted of Park Bom of 2NE1, Lee So Ra, Song Ga Yeon, Shin Sung Woo, Park Chan Yeol of EXO, Hong Soo Hyun, Nana of After School, Seo Kang Joon of 5urprise, Park Min Woo, Lee Dong Wook and Jo Se Ho. The second season consists of Lee Dong Wook, Jo Se Ho, Park Min Woo, Seo Kang Joon of 5urprise, Nana of After School, Lee Guk Joo, Heo Young Ji of KARA, Jackson Wang of GOT7, Bae Jong Ok, Sunny of Girls' Generation, Ryohei Otani and Park Joon Hyung of g.o.d.

Honorable Mentions:

Star King | KPOP Star | Challenge 1000 Songs | Healing Camp | Family Outing

(Credit: The images are from Wikipedia.com, viki.com and seoulbeats.com. All information are found on Wikipedia)