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Sometimes, there are moments when you’re just tired of watching K-dramas all the time, right? I totally feel you. Even though K-dramas are like my personal healing medicine, there are moments when I finish watching one and feel like I didn’t really get any energy from it.

With all the K-dramas being released every year, Korea also has reality shows that can be a fun break when you’re bored of the usual drama. So here are my pure recommendations—these are four K-reality shows you’ve gotta check out when you need something fresh apart from K-dramas!

Running Man

Photo: sunshinekelly.com

Who hasn’t heard of Running Man? It's a total legend! First aired back in 2010, Running Man has been faithfully keeping its fans entertained all these years. Over 20 years of Yoo Jae Seok and the gang running around trying to rip off each other’s name tags.

In its 20+ years on air, Running Man has had quite a few member changes. Before Song Ji Hyo joined, the female member spot was filled by Lee Hyo Ri. At first, Song Ji Hyo was just a guest, but she ended up taking over Hyo Ri’s spot when Hyo Ri got super busy and decided to leave the show.

Photo: bloganchoi.com

At the beginning of the show, one of the most iconic elements was the name tag ripping game, where all the members and guests would chase each other to rip off their opponent’s name tag. But over time, with changes in the production team, they stopped doing the name tag ripping game. The main reason? The members aren't as young as they used to be. But even without that game, Running Man is still hilarious.

Not long ago, I decided to binge-watch the show from the very first episode because I'd watched it before, but I skipped around in the episodes. Watching it from the start made me realize how different the old Running Man is compared to the newer version.

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I only watched Running Man up to episode 559 because Kwang Soo decided to leave the show. Yup, I watched Running Man because of Kwang Soo. I don’t know what it is, but just looking at Kwang Soo makes me laugh automatically. He doesn’t even need to say anything, and I’m already cracking up. 😂

If you’re planning to watch Running Man, I’d recommend starting from the very first episode. There are so many memories, especially if you’re a second-generation K-pop fan (like me) or if you want to see what Korean reality shows were like back in the day. Plus, the old Running Man episodes just hit differently—they’re funnier for some reason. Maybe because they were still running around everywhere, doing all sorts of energy-draining challenges, and the Monday Couple (Gary and Ji Hyo) was still around. There are just so many sweet memories!

Busted

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Once again, I’m watching this reality show because of Kwang Soo. Even though he took a break in season 2, he made a big comeback in season 3, which also turned out to be the last season of this show.

Busted is a reality show with a miniseries vibe. Even though sometimes there’s no script, it feels like the main cast is acting in a drama. The main focus of this show is solving murder cases, and the cast members play the role of private detectives.

Photo: Pinterest/Boon

Each episode has a different story, and there are always guest stars that you’ll probably recognize from dramas or other reality shows. Some of the guests I remember include Stephanie Lee, Kim Hye Soo, Rowoon, Song Ji Hyo, Wendy from Red Velvet, Seung Hee from Oh My Girl, and even members from Iz*one.

You definitely need to watch this show, especially if you’re an EXO-L, because Sehun is one of the main cast members. Aside from the hilarious Tom and Jerry-like chemistry between Jae Suk and Kwang Soo, Sehun’s chemistry with Se Jeong is just as fun. It’s not a romance kind of chemistry, but more like the hilarious bestie vibe that’ll make you laugh nonstop.

Master in the House a.k.a All the Butlers

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There’s no Kwang Soo or Jae Suk in this show, but how do I even find this? Well, it all started because I totally fell for Cha Eun Woo after watching True Beauty. I went all in, digging up info about him, listening to Astro’s songs, and watching their MVs. That’s when I stumbled upon this show. At first, I wasn’t sure if I should watch it because I wasn’t familiar with the other members. But hey, I gave it a shot because Eun Woo and Seung Gi were on it.

Turns out, this show is just as fun as the other two I mentioned. Not only will it make you laugh so hard, but it also teaches you a lot of cool stuff. As the name suggests, Master in the House takes you on a journey to meet people who are considered 'masters'—inspiring figures who have a lot to offer. The guests aren't always celebrities; there are plenty of non-celebs who come on as well.

Some episodes I remember included a musical performance featuring three amazing 'masters' in the musical field with incredible voices. There was also an episode with Olympic athletes, a female boxer, and even a master in the field of investments.

The Return of Superman

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I’ve got so many online nephews and nieces because of this show, lol! The Return of Superman is a reality show where dads take over the role of taking care of their kids while their wives are away for a set period. This show got some criticism when Sayuri joined The Return of Superman. I mean, it was a big deal because the show was originally all about dads and their kids, and then here comes Sayuri, who’s a single mom. But one step at a time, they kept airing the episodes with Sayuri in them.

I wasn’t really interested in the show at first until William Hammington showed up and totally grabbed my attention. I remember thinking, “This baby is soooo cute!” and that’s when I started watching, but only the parts with William, haha. His little brother, Bentley Hammington, joined the show too, and I even found myself calming down William when his mom was giving birth to Bentley, lol.

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After the Hammington siblings, I got even more online nephews and nieces thanks to Park Na Eun, this insanely beautiful mixed kid. Not only is she gorgeous, but Na Eun is also super smart. She was taught to speak three languages from a young age—Korean, English, and German—since her mom is German. Na Eun also has two little brothers, Gun Hoo and Jin Woo, who both make appearances on The Return of Superman as well.

Photo: Pinterest/Zen Seong

SHINee Hello Baby (Pinterest/Maria Carillo)

Actually, there are still two more reality shows I’ve watched, Hello Baby and We Got Married. But since these shows are quite old and it’s getting hard to find them for streaming nowadays, I’ll skip them. Even though Hello Baby and We Got Married were super popular back in the day.

To wrap up this article, I’ll share a little about Hello Baby and We Got Married because I’m not stingy when it comes to sharing Korea-related info, lol. Hello Baby is a reality show where a K-Pop group is tasked with taking care of a baby for a set period. They even have to live under the same roof with the baby. Some of the groups that appeared on Hello Baby include SHINee, SNSD, MBLAQ, and Sistar with Lee Teuk from Super Junior. If I got any details wrong, feel free to correct me!

KhunToria (Allkpop)

Meanwhile, We Got Married is a reality show where celebrities or idols are paired up and act as husband and wife. Back then, it wasn’t a big deal because K-Pop fans were chill about it and actually enjoyed watching their idols participate in the show. But if We Got Married were to air again with today’s generation, I’m not so sure it would work. The interactions between boy groups and girl groups just aren’t as interesting as they were back in the day.

Some of the We Got Married couples I remember are Jo Kwon from 2AM & Gain from Brown Eyed Girls (Adam Couple), Jung Yong Hwa & Seo Hyun from SNSD (Goguma Couple), Nickhun from 2PM & Victoria from f(x), Lee Teuk from Super Junior & Kang So Ra, Song Jae Rim (rest in peace) & Kim So Eun, Tae Min from SHINee & Na Eun from APINK, and Sung Jae from BTOB & Joy from Red Velvet (Bbyu Bbyu Couple). My favorite couple? Definitely KhunToria! They were such a perfect match. Even though Victoria is a year older, Nichkhun looked so mature. This couple really made me envious!