K-pop idol reality shows
K-pop idols may seem to lead glitzy and glamorous lifestyles, but amidst their packed schedules, what do they do in their everyday lives and when they take a break? Here are 20 K-pop idol reality shows that reveal what happens when they take time off for a vacation to heal their minds and souls.
1. BTS In The SOOP
Image credit: IN THE SOOP
“Soop” in the show’s title is derived from the Korean word “숲”, which is pronounced as “soop”. It is translated to forest in English.
The concept of this reality series centres on BTS escaping from their hectic lives and schedules in the city, and seeking solace in a quieter and more peaceful holiday house surrounded by nature.
There are no scheduled activities or scripts that the world-famous boy band needed to follow, and they were allowed to freely explore indoor and outdoor hobbies.
From cooking to hiking, fans can enjoy watching the BTS members relax and revel in the green landscape.
2. Wanna One Go: ZERO BASE
Image credit: @WannaOne_twt
When Wanna One shot to fame after their debut in 2017, they had a hectic schedule, and was even debated to be the busiest K-pop boy band at one time.
It may sound counterintuitive, but Wanna One Go: ZERO BASE was the reality show that allowed them to take a breather amidst their packed itinerary. During the filming of the show, they took time off to do things they were unable to do during their promotion periods, such as visiting family and friends and exploring hobbies.
Fun fact: Wanna One members even travelled to Osaka, Japan, for a short holiday in the last episode.
3. NCT Life
Image credit: @my_seezn
NCT Life is NCT’s reality show that has been ongoing since 2016, even before their debut.
In the series, the NCT members revealed parts of themselves that cannot be seen onstage. Viewers also got to peek into their daily lives. It also showed how the members spent their holidays as they travelled to other parts of Korea, as well as other countries for short getaways.
The members cook, play games, and pursue their hobbies, showing a different side of themselves to their fans.
4. SEVENTEEN’s One Fine Day
Image credit: @mbcplusm
In 2016, SEVENTEEN had their rendition of MBC M’s One Fine Day, a reality show featuring how idol groups cope when they are taken away from their busy city lives to experience mundane living in the suburbs for a period of time.
In SEVENTEEN’s One Fine Day, the newly debuted SEVENTEEN was brought to an unknown island and had to utilise their survival skills in order to feed and clothe themselves. Fans got to enjoy the members’ barefaced looks, their cooking, cleaning and harvesting skills, and the strong bond between the 13 members.
Despite being only rookies in the K-pop industry, SEVENTEEN showcased their good variety sense and teamwork through the show. They also shed their perfect idol image as they dressed in ajumma (middle-aged woman) trousers during filming.
5. WINNER: Youth Over Flowers
Image credit: tvN
Youth Over Flowers is tvN’s travel reality show where guests get to go to different parts of the world and relive their youth by exploring the country and getting to complete all sorts of fun activities.
In 2017, WINNER’s Mino won a mission on the variety show New Journey to the West 4 and, as his prize, chose to film Youth Over Flowers with his group members.
The 4-member team left for Australia in October 2017, and recorded their week-long trip for WINNER: Youth Over Flowers.
From living in a transformed prison and skydiving, to not changing their underwear for three days and sleeping in an inaccessible cottage, WINNER: Youth Over Flowers showed the raw and unfiltered sides of the popular idols.
6. BLACKPINK HOUSE
Image credit: @ygent_official
For BLACKPINK, who had worked without a proper break since their debut, alone time and a place that let them do some recreational activity was what the girl group, who’s a worldwide sensation, had desperately wished for.
In BLACKPINK HOUSE, the members showed off their domestic skills, from shopping for furniture to baking, and their adventurous personalities as they went zip-lining and snowboarding.
A vacation home splashed in pink tones was constructed in the heart of Hongdae, Seoul, for the 4 members to stay in throughout their 3-month-long holiday.
7. TIME TO TWICE
Image credit: TWICE
TIME TO TWICE is TWICE’s reality show where they play games and relax.
The series is ongoing and has many seasons with different themes, such as a crime-themed season and a school-themed one.
In the fourth season of the show, TIME TO TWICE Healing Camp, the TWICE members went on a camping trip where they set up tents, played in the creek and harvested blueberries.
Being stars that are constantly in front of cameras or onstage, TIME TO TWICE reveals the members’ personalities behind the scenes and their synergy as a long-time girl group.
8. Red Velvet: Level Up Project!
Image credit: JTBC
Level Up Project! is Red Velvet’s reality show where they travel to different countries to have a holiday while they are in between comeback promotions.
This series highlights what the members are like offstage, and what they like to do when they leave behind their onstage persona as girl group idols. It also shows Red Velvet’s daily lives, and their great rapport.
The reality show allowed the busy girl group to take it easy and explore their hobbies, be it something as banal as window shopping and eating, or as adventurous as helmet diving and paragliding.
9. Travel The World On EXO’s Ladder
Image credit: tvN
Travel The World On EXO’s Ladder is a reality show where EXO members travel to different countries for vacations. But there’s a twist: they have to play the “Climbing the Ladder” game to make decisions, such as during meals and choosing roommates.
The reality show also revealed how the members relax and unwind, as they took a back seat from their onstage identities as K-pop superstars.
The first season of the series featured the EXO unit EXO-CBX, and the second season featured 8 of the members. The third season aired on 8th April 2022, with 5 members, including leader Suho, who was discharged from the military in February 2022.
10. ENHYPEN: EN-O’CLOCK
Image adapted from: ENHYPEN
EN-O’CLOCK is ENHYPEN’s first reality show that centres on what the young idols do during their downtime offstage.
In each episode, the members play games, solve obstacles and complete trivia quizzes, showing off their teamwork and friendly competitiveness.
They also have activities outside of the typical studio space, and have visited a jjimjilbang (Korean public bathhouse), a vacation home in the suburbs and even an escape room to destress and wind down from their hectic schedule.
11. Stray Kids: Finding SKZ God Edition
Image credit: @M2MPD
After the first season of Finding SKZ where they played games and completed missions to learn better variety skills, the Stray Kids members returned with Finding SKZ God Edition, where they had to win at games in order to become “Gods” of their choice.
The boy group participated in numerous entertaining games and sports, from playing pinata with their shoes to a classic name tag race.
The Stray Kids members not only showed off their competitive spirit and great teamwork, but also their sense of humour that kept the episodes engaging.
12. NCT DREAM: 7llin’ in the DREAM
Image credit: @NCTsmtown_DREAM
The number 7 in Korean is read as “chil”, making the title 7llin’ in the DREAM – a pun for “Chillin’ in the DREAM”.
This reality show revolves around NCT DREAM during their first holiday after all of them became legal adults. It is also the first reality show the members filmed since the unit was confirmed to continue with all 7 members as permanent members.
In 7llin’ in the DREAM, the idols took a much-needed holiday in a vacation home surrounded by nature and furnished with facilities maximised for their comfort.
The real healing factor of this show is that the title of every episode is a callback to a song title from their previous albums.
13. GOT7’s Hard Carry
Image credit: @M2MPD
GOT7’s Hard Carry shares the same name as the group’s popular title track, Hard Carry.
The reality show followed the GOT7 members as they completed activities from a bucket list written by themselves and their fans.
From enjoying a traditional Thai massage to playing in a maze cafe where they had to use both brains and brawn, the members showed off their outstanding variety sense and synergy as a team.
14. Channel Girls’ Generation
Image adapted from: 백만뷰
Channel Girls’ Generation is SNSD’s first reality show as an 8-member girl group.
Apart from individual vlogs, Channel Girl’s Generation also gave further insight into the rapport and strong friendship between the members of the team dubbed as “The Nation’s Girl Group”.
From barbecue parties to water sports in a vacation mansion, and even exposing exclusive, hilarious selfies of each other, SNSD’s reality show put a spotlight on the members’ hobbies, and their strong bond as a K-pop girl group.
15. AB6IX: Feeling Camp – Brand New University
Image adapted from: AB6IX
In Feeling Camp – Brand New University, the AB6IX members travel to Yeongcheon-gun, Gyeonggi-do, for an all-inclusive camping experience.
The boy group got to escape from the hustle and bustle of dynamic Seoul, and seek out peace and quiet while being surrounded in nature. They even tried sleeping in a caravan, wood making, and eating local delicacies.
Apart from having to play a game to secure the caravan as their sleeping spot and attending activities organised by the filming crew, AB6IX was left to their own devices, and given the agency to unwind and pursue their hobbies.
16. iKON TV
Image credit: JTBC
iKON TV is the group’s first reality show, which was filmed and produced by the members themselves.
They reveal all the nitty gritty of their daily lives, from receiving anaesthetic during a full body check-up to farming on a rural island.
Since the theme of each episode was planned and curated by the iKON members, the activities that they completed ran the gamut from something as adventurous as crossdressing to film an MV to something as mundane as having a meal in the dorms.
The show also showcased the members’ close-knit relationships, as a boy group that trained, entered a survival show and eventually debuted together, as well as their passion as musicians.
17. MAMAMOO: MooMoo Trip
Image credit: @uplusidollive
To celebrate MAMAMOO’s 6th year anniversary, the members embarked on a holiday to Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon-do, which was documented on MooMoo Trip.
This was the first trip the 4 members took together, and in it, MAMAMOO showed off their irresistible charms and good synergy.
To wrap up their first night, the MAMAMOO members hosted their own anniversary party, complete with cutting cake, singing songs, and heartfelt moments.
18. APINK: Apinkation
Image credit: SBS
Apinkation is a reality show that brought together members of APINK who had moved out of their old dorm, to live in a spacious and comfortable house again.
APINK is one of the longest-running active K-pop girl groups in the industry, and their bond can be said to go beyond their statuses as just band members.
The show explored the domestic life of the APINK members when they live together, from cooking meals, watching movies, drinking wine and even sleeping on the same bed together.
19. IZ*ONE’s Eat-ing Trip
Image adapted from: IDOLLIVE[아이돌라이브]
IZ*ONE is a girl group consisting of members from Japan and Korea, and IZ*ONE’s Eat-ing Trip is a reality show revolving around the members travelling to different parts of Korea to play games and complete challenges in order to win food as the prize.
The members not only tried out the local delicacies and treats of the different cities and districts, but they also explored landmark attractions. Despite being young idols who have not spent much time training together, IZ*ONE’s members showed perfect synergy and great variety sense.
20. THE BOYZ’s Time Out
Image credit: Lifetime Korea
THE BOYZ’s Timeout features members from THE BOYZ going on a vacation trip together to a small island surrounded by only water and greenery.
With no script or planned schedules, the boy group members were free to do whatever activities they enjoyed. The members also showed off their teamwork as they played games, and they also reminisced on their early debut and trainee days.
K-pop idol reality shows that will heal your heart & mind
Even if you are not a fan of the group, these K-pop idol reality shows are entertaining to watch. You’ll not only see each team’s dynamics, you’ll also get a glimpse into what they are like and how they choose to spend their time offstage.
Also check out:
- 20 Korean variety shows
- 13 Korean dating reality shows
- 9 new Korean reality shows in 2023
- 20 BTS songs with hidden meanings
- 20 slice of life Korean dramas
Cover image adapted from: Lifetime Korea, JTBC, IN THE SOOP
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