Low Stakes, Big Sighs: Seven Korean Variety Shows for Dark British Sundays
Photo: cosy TV remote control winter sofa Korean variety show, via wallpapercave.com
By the time the clocks go back, British Sundays have a particular texture. It is dark by half four. The rain is doing that thing where it is not quite raining but you are still wet. The weekend is over, and the week ahead is a list of emails. This is the Sunday scaries, and they are not improved by a K-drama cliffhanger.
Why variety hits different
K-dramas are brilliant, but they are not always what you need on a dark November evening. They demand attention. They have plots, villains, and 16 episodes of will-they-won't-they. Korean variety shows ask much less. They are episodic, low-stakes, and built around cast chemistry. You can watch one episode, miss three, and come back without losing the thread. It is telly as a warm bath.
The UK has its own panel-show tradition, and there is a kinship there. Think Taskmaster's chaotic energy crossed with a travelogue, but with more subtitles and fewer contracts. The difference is that Korean variety often runs for years, with the same cast, so the pleasure is in the familiarity. You learn the running jokes. You know who will cheat at the game. You start to feel like you are in the room.
Seven shows to see you through
1. Running Man (Viki)
The granddaddy of them all. A cast of comedians and actors play games across a city, rip name tags off each other, and generally behave badly. It has been on air since 2010, so the rules have changed many times. Start with the 'Family Package Project' episodes from the show's peak, then jump to a 2026 episode to see how it has evolved. If you like people falling over for a laugh, this is your show.
2. Knowing Bros (Viki)
A classroom-set talk show where the cast treat guests like new transfer students. It is part interview, part game, part group therapy. Start with an episode featuring a K-pop group you already like; the show works best when you know at least one person in the room. The format is loose, which is the point.
3. Earth Arcade (Viki)
Four comedians and a producer-cum-idol are dropped into a game-show version of a travelogue. It is silly, fast, and oddly wholesome. Start with Season 1, Episode 1. The premise is thin; the fun is in the cast trying to out-cheat each other.
4. The Devil's Plan (Netflix)
A reality game show where contestants live together and solve puzzles for a prize. It is brainy, tense, and very bingeable. Start with Season 1, Episode 1. If you liked The Traitors but wanted more maths, this is for you.
5. Culinary Class Wars (Netflix)
A cooking competition with a huge cast of chefs, from Michelin-starred names to street-food cooks. It is less shouty than some UK cooking shows and more interested in craft. Start with Episode 1. Do not watch hungry.
6. Single's Inferno (Netflix)
A dating show set on a remote island, with a rule that contestants cannot reveal their age or job. It is glossy, awkward, and strangely addictive. Start with Season 3, Episode 1. It is the closest thing to a winter sun holiday you can watch.
7. Going Seventeen (YouTube)
A self-produced variety show from the K-pop group Seventeen. It is chaotic, low-budget, and very funny. Start with the 'Don't Lie' series, where the members play a mafia-style game. It is free on YouTube, which makes it the easiest entry point on this list.
How to watch without the faff
Most of these are on Rakuten Viki, which has a free tier with ads and a paid Viki Pass. Netflix UK has the bigger reality titles. YouTube has the idol-led shows. Availability changes, so check JustWatch before you commit to a subscription. Subtitles are generally good, but the joy of variety is often in the untranslatable shouting.
The Sunday scaries test
The point of these shows is not to escape into another world. It is to spend time in a world where the stakes are low and the people are funny. That is a decent antidote to a dark British weekend. You do not have to follow a plot. You do not have to remember what happened last week. You just have to press play.
If you are new to Korean variety, start with Going Seventeen or Earth Arcade. If you want a competition, try Culinary Class Wars. If you want to understand the format that built the genre, go to Running Man. And if you fall asleep on the sofa halfway through, that is fine. It will still be there next Sunday.
