Hi, welcome back to Eat Your Crest podcast.
I'm Jisoo. I'm Crystal.
And I'm Ann. Welcome back, Ann.
The last episode she was on was Girl Talk, Episode 131, Plotonic BFFs.
This week we have Ann on to talk about something that's been occupying our minds a lot lately and really providing great entertainment value, I would say.
So we wanted to talk about the boom in Korean reality TV.
And I would say this is a little different from Korean variety shows, which I think have always been really popular, not just in Korea, but with a lot of K-pop and K-drama fans.
I feel like in the recent years, we've been seeing a lot more Korean reality TV show pop off.
Just like some examples off the top of my head like Physical 100, Singles Inferno.
So we thought it would be fun to talk about our experiences watching these if we like them, what we like about them, and all of that.
Sounds great. So I'm a big enjoyer of Korean reality TV shows.
I think it does stem from a love of just Korean TV and variety shows in general from when I was young and watching those things with my family.
But now that I don't live with my parents anymore, I feel like it helps me feel in touch with my culture still.
And Korean reality TV is the definition of slow burn, at least in the romance world.
The OSTs, they just fucking hit.
The romance is so emotional.
And there's kind of like the, are they in love?
Are they not mystery element as well that I feel like doesn't come as much with American reality TV shows.
So I will be watching and defending Korean reality till I die.
Okay, no one's going to attack you here.
I'm in the same boat. So do you all have a favorite one off the top of your head?
The last one I really enjoyed was love after divorce.
I just watched that. So yeah, they recently did a season maybe like a year ago where it was mainly Koreans living abroad on the show.
So there's a lot of English, which was nice for me because my Korean is really bad.
But the premise is like these people who have gone through divorce are looking for like their second chance at love like marriage potentially on the show.
So the age range tends to be a bit higher.
And I think the emotional experiences that these people have been through are just a little bit deeper.
And like, I don't know, it was a really not shallow show for me.
I thought the way they did it and like what the contestants themselves we talked about and you know how they like went about things was really nice.
It also makes me hopeful.
Like if I have a failed marriage, I'll be like...
Wait, so in love after marriage, do they just find random people on the street or is it like...
You have to apply. Okay.
It's all these divorced people in the same house or something and then they're like...
Yeah, yeah. Okay, okay, I see.
Date each other. I feel like anytime they do reality TV like romance reality TV with divorced people, the energy is just different because I watch I am solo on a weekly basis and that show is also like you get six men and six women each in one house for a week and have them date each other.
And the seasons where they're divorced, I feel like the pace of how they like talk about stuff is so fast because for like single undivorced people, I feel like they test the waters a little bit.
And with divorced people straight out of the gate, they're like, how many kids do you have?
Like, you know, like these are my deal breakers.
Like I don't want to waste time with you if I could, you know, spend this time talking to other people like blah, blah.
So then I love watching it.
Like it feels so much more raw and organic, I think.
It's like no bullshit. I'm sure that's so fair.
Yeah. And the love after divorce one too, like a big part of it was revealing new information every night.
So like how many kids where they're from their job and these are all factors that people actually do care about but like don't usually bring up in like other dating shows like G.C.
Right. Yeah. Do you feel like it's more mature in these shows where there's like divorced people, there's less of the miscommunications and like mix ups?
They're just about different things, I feel like.
Oh, I see. I don't know if they're always more mature, right?
Makes sense. I guess it still has to be juicy enough to be like reality TV.
Yeah. Yeah. I think honestly, I haven't watched too many reality shows in the recent months, but the last one I was watching was Exchange.
It's also called Transit Love.
I think the English title is X Change.
This one is like so interesting because the show basically brings on a bunch of X couples and then they all live in the same house and they try to date each other.
And you have the option of basically trying to get back together with the X that you came on to the show with or you can try to go date someone else.
And it's so interesting because the X's aren't revealed in the beginning.
So it's almost easier to like try to date other people.
But then once the X's get revealed, it's like, oh, I'm actually going after this other girl's ex boyfriend and we're like buddies now.
Like that's a little awkward.
There's a lot of drama in that one.
I feel like there's just a lot of possibility because of the like previous connection as well as the like potential new connections.
My first take when I heard about the show was like, oh, that premise is like just so toxic.
It's like, how can I create the most like conflict within a TV show or just throw a bunch of X's in there?
It's pretty crazy. Sometimes you just have someone really like trying to get back together with their X, but then their X is like trying to move on and you're like, oh my god, this is painful to watch, low key.
And you get to hear the tea from both sides on why they broke up.
And you can also just, you know, see a lot of moments of like jealousy when it's like, oh, maybe I don't want to even get back with my ex, but like seeing him go after a different girl is like a different kind of pain.
So there's just all these little elements, I think that make it really interesting.
Yeah. I would say the only downside of this one is that it's really long.
It's like, I think the most popular season is like 30 episodes or something.
It's like insanely long.
And each episode is like almost two hours.
How long are they in the house for?
I feel like it's usually like, oh, exchange is pretty long, isn't it?
It might be like two to three weeks.
At the end of last week, they like go to Jeju Island together.
It's pretty crazy. I think season two was the one that really blew up.
And then season three was the most recent season, which I've actually yet to finish because I was a little sad.
There's this couple I was rooting for, but I just had this feeling that it might not work out.
So I low key just stopped watching in order to not break my heart.
Oh my gosh. It's definitely worth finishing though, dude.
Exchange three was going on when James and I were on our honeymoon and one of the days we were in Switzerland, we literally just like hold up in the room and like watch the whole episode because we were so addicted to it.
I love that. I need to watch it.
Yeah, it's a good one. The downside of this one is that it's not on Netflix though.
I believe it's on Vicky.
So it's like slightly less accessible.
There's also like Korean dramas I want to watch on Vicky.
So I've been considering.
This kind of plays into another thing we were thinking about, which is maybe part of the reason why these K reality shows have been getting so popular is because of how easily accessible they are.
Like so many are on Netflix alone.
The average person I would say probably has access to a Netflix account.
It's just suddenly so available to us.
And I think honestly in the US reality TV has been on the upswing as well.
Like there's been some really intense, I don't follow these, but I know like what Vanderpump rules is like huge.
And I feel like people are just already in that like reality TV mindset.
So they're ready to accept foreign reality TV too.
Yeah, definitely having it on like on demand streaming sites makes it really, really accessible.
I feel like before I used to only see reality TV and this is like when I was a lot younger on actual TV channels, which I just don't have anymore.
I also feel like a factor is suggestion algorithms on Netflix or like whatever platform you use.
You watch like Korean drama, which is also already really popular.
Then I feel like you're more likely to be suggested like a Korean reality TV show.
True. See Korean people falling in love in real life.
It is interesting. I think that's a good point.
There's also for me personally like just a craving to watch Asian people on reality.
Like I feel like on mainstream American TV, we don't really get that.
And recently there's been some exceptions with like the Bachelorette being Asian and whatnot.
But sometimes I just want to see like a whole like TV show about Asians and really the easiest way to find that is in Asian TV shows.
So then I think the element of the foreign cultures to also bring an interesting element to the show where it's not just fast-paced drama.
It's sometimes slow burn and you know emotional and there's like a narrative to the story as well.
That's true. I want to see reality TV where people take their shoes off before going in the house.
Yeah, exactly. This is why I was so into terrorist house because I feel like for me that was the first show where I was like, oh this is how I would actually approach romance or living with people.
I wouldn't just immediately try to like fuck someone for night one.
The slow burn, the things that they get upset about.
It's like a little different.
True. And I feel like with that too, I feel like the controversies that the shows start also are a little bit different.
Something that I thought was so funny watching exchange or transit love was one of the main controversies was that they were like gross as in they did not tidy the house.
So then often they would stay up late and like drink and there's like Anju and like food and stuff and they would go to sleep at like 6am or something.
So then naturally they leave all the like mess on the tables and then people in Korea got so mad and were like, oh my god, these people are fucking living in film.
Like this is unacceptable.
I think that was season two, right?
I think I also heard like all the plants in the house they rented for the show died and people were like, dude, like what the fuck?
That's so funny. In my sibling romance, which was one of my recent faves, there was a contestant who for some reason she was never pictured doing the dishes.
And then people started being like, oh my god, you can tell she's like a horrible person and she has like no report with any of the girls.
You can see that she has no social skills because look, she doesn't even do the dishes.
And then after that controversy happened, the literal episode that aired after the producers edited in purposefully a clip of her doing the dishes and like clips of her talking to girls to be like, okay, no, like we just didn't have time to like put it in the show, but she's like a normal person, guys.
No, that's a huge thing.
You're watching an hour episode for like a show and it's covering so much time.
You really don't know what happened.
So then the narrative is actually created by whoever's editing and directing the show.
If you like dislike someone, it's because they're making you dislike them.
True. Sometimes I can have like strong emotions about characters on these shows.
I'm like, oh, that girl's such a bitch.
Oh, like, she's so sneaky, whatever.
But really, we only, we don't see everything.
Good reminder. They're people.
Oh my god. Also, Jisoo, I think you need to explain My Sivling Romance a little or else it's just the title.
It sounds like incest. It doesn't sound like what it actually is.
Okay, so My Sivling Romance is, first of all, a show that everyone should watch because it will warm your hearts.
But it's basically a similar element to exchange, but instead of X's, it's siblings.
And the siblings have to be opposite gender, but there's no rules on like age gaps.
So sometimes you'll see like a really big age gap between the siblings and whatnot.
It's interesting because now that you have all the siblings living in one house, when you try to date each other, there's these weird things of like, oh, I want that guy to be like dating my sister.
Like he's cool. I want him as my brother-in-law or the opposite of like, yeah, like my brother's talking to this girl, but I don't know if I really like her that much.
So like then the girl has to impress, you know, the guy's sister.
So then there's like kind of like, not drama, but different things that you have to keep in mind when you're dating.
So not only do you have to go for whoever you want to date, but you also have to like be conscious of, oh, his family members in this house, like I should be portraying myself as like a really upstanding person.
And sometimes the siblings help each other.
Sometimes they're like, oh, I saw this guy talking to this other girl.
He's sneaking around your back.
Are you sure you want to date him?
So, you know, very, very interesting.
I really want to watch that.
That sounds so cute. It is.
Dude, honestly, that sounds really interesting.
But the first time, Jisoo, you told me about my sibling romance, you're like, yeah, siblings go on the show and they like date each other.
I was like, wait. I was like, you're telling me Korea has allowed a show about like incest?
That'd be so crazy. Yeah, I was like shocked.
I was like, why do you like this show?
And like, why is it airing in Korea?
I was like, what is there not to like?
So what is dating each other?
It's juicy drama. It's like, oh, my best friend's older brother.
I did want to ask because Ann, you mentioned the first reality show you really watched was like Terrace House in terms of like Asian reality shows.
What was your first reality show, Jisoo?
First Asian reality show?
I think one of the first ones I watched was probably Produce 101 in like college times.
And that is like a whole nother genre of Korean reality TV where it's not romance.
It's basically 100 idol trainees competing to debut in like the top group.
But I was like a religious Produce 101 watcher.
And I remember I roped you and Jessica into watching it.
So sometimes we would stay up to like 4am just like watching the latest episodes that dropped.
Oh my god. Yeah. I think I'm similar.
Like these contest reality shows specifically produced was the first like Korean reality TV show I watched.
But the one that left the deepest impression on me in terms of like romantic reality TV shows was probably Singles Inferno.
Because when it came out it like exploded.
Like people were obsessed with it.
And that first season, I actually didn't end up watching any of the other seasons.
But that first season has like such an annoying yet like juicy storyline in it.
And I was just very shocked at what happened.
That show has another controversy that I thought was kind of interesting where Sungji who was like, I guess one of the biggest stars of that season got canceled in Korea for wearing like counterfeit clothing.
And I was just like wow like these are things that I feel like no one in America would like really care about or it wouldn't just it just wouldn't blow up.
It would like live and die on like a run at threat or something.
I think people like especially came after her because she would wear actual commercials or like I don't know.
I thought she got too much hate for that.
Yeah. Honestly. But yeah, it definitely wouldn't happen in America.
Definitely felt like it snowballed out of proportion.
That's how a lot of things go in Korea though.
I think if they're like ready to hate on you, they'll latch on to like anything that you really did.
Especially women. Some serious haters out there.
I don't know. It's like a saying in Korea like, yo-da talking yo-da-da or something like that.
Yeah. I mean, I think it's true.
But I think in general in the world, like, I don't know, like the Blake Lively drama, people are just so ready to like come after her and there wasn't like really much said.
I feel like. That's true.
It was some rumors, some whispers and now suddenly like it is the biggest piece of news in the current escape.
You're right. I think women definitely have less forgiven.
Stare at it. Yeah. Like scandals or just like reactions, I guess.
It's so interesting. Yeah.
Maybe we've talked about this before on another episode where like there's almost this cycle of like, you know, this person gets really popular and then now it's cool to hate on them.
So then they like, you know, they're like, I don't know.
It's cool to hate on them.
So then they like lose their popularity.
But then maybe a few years later, they have like a like a rebirth, I guess, in the media.
But it feels like for a woman, that's like a longer cycle versus for men.
It's just like, okay, we're going to hate on him for like a week and then whatever.
That's cool. Like whatever next project they're doing.
We love it. But also going back to singles Inferno, I feel like because it was also such a shock because I don't feel like in general Korean TV shows are like focused on like the hot and like scandalous things like that.
So for a Korean reality TV show to like show like the Kani's, any sort of a light like them because they're like hot or like I think I'm the shit, it's very different.
So it makes it a lot more fun to watch.
That's true. Like by Korean standards, it's pretty scandalous.
It's kind of spicy. Yeah.
Oh, they're going to get a hotel room together.
I think if you watch something like Heart Signal, which to me is like peak wholesome, you can really tell the difference between like the average expectations for a Korean romance show versus like singles Inferno.
But I remember being disappointed because the trailers for singles Inferno were so spicy.
And then I watched the actual show and I was like, I guess it's not really that spicy, except they're just in bikinis.
And that's like the cultural shock.
Yeah. I think I remember watching it.
I was like, Oh my God, like they're going to these hotel rooms for a night.
And then I was like, wait, they're literally just like eating dinner and chatting.
I did feel like they were more direct though on that show.
They tried to like show interest.
But I think this is another aspect of Korean reality TV that is like so interesting.
There's like no physical touch, I guess.
People don't make out. People don't have sex.
They just like talk and they go on dates where they like eat and talk.
And maybe they'll do like a cute activity together.
But it's just like, it's so PG, if anything.
And I guess that adds to the whole thing that you're saying, G.C.
where it's like slow burn.
I guess like maybe it builds more mystery and like suspense.
And I feel like that's just something that we don't get as much or like a different type of in like US reality TV.
It's definitely like a change in pace and very like interesting to follow along in.
I actually wonder like how much of that is stemming from Korean like TV restrictions.
Because sometimes in Korea, you'll hear people say like they can do that because they're on like a cable platform or like they're on like YouTube or something.
But if you're on one of the like major channels, there's things that you can't like show.
For example, you have to like bleep out cuss words.
Like it's not that different from America, but it's probably a little bit stricter in Korea.
Because I did watch a couple episodes of this Korean reality TV show where the premise was like, if you match on a date, you like have to stay the night together.
You sleep on the same bed and the whole premise is like you only know someone once you share a bed with them.
And I've watched a couple episodes of that and I was just like, you know, this is like not what I'm looking for right now in a TV show.
But it's crazy that this exists somewhere.
Wow. I always thought it was like due to public perception potentially.
I don't know if this is still the case, but I remember hearing that when Korean female actresses would go on like erotic movies or like just things with the sex scene.
If they did too many of them, then somehow the reputation was like damaged.
So you had to be very like tasteful about which movie you decided to like use your sex scene in.
You're like, I think this movie will be a banger.
So it's okay. It has a sex scene.
Yeah, yeah. It's an artistic one.
I mean, I remember watching K dramas.
If people kissed horizontally, it was like crazy.
Wait, horizontally? Like on a bed or a couch or something.
Oh, wait, yes. It's like, holy fuck, they're implying not just making out.
Well, I feel like the implication or what alludes to them having sex is when they pull the covers up over their heads.
Dude, if I feel like that doesn't really happen in K dramas, at least the ones that I've seen.
Wait, really? I feel like it was like the old way of being like, oh, they're having sex and they would just pull the covers up.
Or baby pops out in the next episode.
I feel like most of the ones that I've seen, they just like kiss and they're like, okay.
And then if they kiss, on a bed, I'm like, whoa, that's crazy.
Yeah. Yeah, there's like those Muck-Dumb dramas that like have some really saucy scenes.
Muck-Dumb is like, so in that part of 1997 kissing scene, like Liz run free in my head.
It's just like such a good kiss.
Was it like spicy? And there were multiple.
Yeah, I feel like, well, actually, to be fair, I do feel like at least the dramas on Netflix, you know, some of the kisses are a little, they feel a little more real, almost like a little more American or Hollywood style kisses, right?
But before it was always the like, peck and someone looks like so surprised, eyes wide, like holy fuck, you know, there's definitely been an evolution.
Do you think it's an influence of like Netflix or is it the times are kind of changing?
My personal theory is that it's maybe some influence from international audiences, because I think maybe like from what I've seen, I only really read like American, you know, English, Reddit or whatever, people are, they would like kind of clown K drama sometimes being like, dude, this kiss is like so, you know, that's like, that's not a kiss or like K drama has the classic
someone is just like frozen and like getting a peck on their cheek or like the guy is like making out with the girl, but she's like not making out back or whatever.
Yeah. And I think after seeing all of that, it's been like more gradual that it's like changed a bit.
I wonder if it's also like the power of YouTube or something or like reels and whatnot, because I know certain kiss scenes have gone viral over the years of like, oh my god, they're like actually having like a full fledged kiss scene.
And then that video will do numbers on like YouTube or something.
So maybe producers see that and they're like, Oh, like this seems to stir up some sort of like social media thing, like we should also do an intense kiss scene.
But ultimately, it's like to get more viewers somehow.
Probably. I would guess so.
Yeah. Wait, but question.
Have you ever seen a K reality show where people have kissed?
Wait, I have. It happened in a recent I am solo season.
And it was like a huge thing because I am solo.
You know, like when you watch Heart Signal and like exchange and stuff, there's like all these like romantic OST songs in the background.
And there's like a narrative and whatnot.
I am solo is not like it's like on the fly.
Like it's very much like real and organic and just like normal non influencer type people.
But two people kissed mid season.
And it was like a huge shock.
I think like I saw a bunch of articles about it.
Wow. I asked because like, well, one, we've been talking about like K dramas are allowed to have like kiss scenes and stuff.
But also when I was watching exchange, these people are literally like trying to date each other, you know, like getting to know each other.
And then at some point in the show, this couple that I was rooting for, they were like basically a couple.
And I was like, dude, just fucking kiss her.
But then I looked up the rules and the rules were like, like the rules for the show.
It was like, you're not allowed to like actually define your relationship.
You can't hold hands. You can't kiss each other.
You can't like do any of that.
Oh, right. Yeah, that was another thing.
They were like walking down the road.
And I was like, Oh, this is so cute.
Like, why don't you just fucking hold her hand?
But then I found out it was like against the rules.
And I was like, I was like, come on, guys, it's just hand holding.
Yeah. That's so interesting.
I feel like love after divorce, the season with kipos or like international Koreans, I feel like they did kiss, but I don't remember.
Yeah, I just assumed they did because there wasn't like an explicit kissing scene, I think, but it was like implied slash slightly shown that there was like a couple that was laying in bed together for like multiple hours a day.
And then I was like, okay, well, they're probably just like not showing us.
Yeah, I didn't love that couple.
Okay, I guess to be fair, now that I'm thinking about it, it would be a little weird to be filmed like kissing someone.
That's true. Although allegedly, you know, after like a couple days, you forget the cameras are there.
I don't know how real that is.
But I think for some people, they're like able to kind of start blocking it out.
I see. I could see that being real because like, would they really say that shit on camera?
You know what I mean? It's like, I always thought like people go on reality TV shows are trying to be famous.
But after watching some, I was like, oh, like they're really behaving like this.
I feel like they're actually kind of immersed and sort of like bought into the idea of the show because they're been doing it for a while.
I think you bring up a good point though.
It's like, I find the best seasons of Korean reality TV are that good because I don't feel like any of the cast is only on there to become like an influencer.
Like as soon as I can clock that, I'm like, okay, this season is like fake.
Because then I just start to question everything they're doing.
I'm like, oh, you want to be portrayed as like the good guy, or like you're like pushing this image of scorned woman or like whatever.
And it just like really puts me off.
So then I feel like the seasons that do really well are because no one is like out there clearly trying to chase fame.
I agree. Did you watch singles in bird of season three?
I didn't know what happened.
My favorite character there, she was just so real.
Ha Jung. What I liked about her was that she was kind of like, you know what, I'm going to do me like, I like this person.
They don't like me back with okay.
And I feel like we got to see some like character growth because she like cried and like, she's like, oh, it's just like, you know, falling my heart, but she wasn't like annoying about it or like doing it for cloud.
Like it was very clearly like not the best reality TV show like outcome for her technically, right?
Like she could have left with someone, but she was like, no, I'm going to like be true to myself even though I get rejected on camera.
That was very admirable to me.
Yeah. Also, going back to, like, Tara's house had a lot of implied sex.
Oh, really? Oh, yeah. I actually didn't know this because I never watched Tara's house.
Oh, you guys need to watch it?
I only watched like one or two shows.
The only thing I saw in Tara's house was like, I know like some people got really mad over like some beef in the fridge or something.
Oh, yeah. The meat drama.
Yeah, that's like the only thing I know.
But they ate it. It was his.
It was high quality. Wait, so how is the implied sex implied?
When people would couple up in the show, sometimes the other contestants would like give them space or like give them their own room.
It's just such a crazy contrast.
So I watched the recent Love Island season.
If you've never watched Love Island, they have this thing called like the hideaway, which I think is like a separate room or something.
So once you're like an official couple on the show, you can go and have implied sex, but not only is it implied that you're having sex there, they actively talk about it.
So on the recent season, like a couple went to the hideaway and they like spent a night together.
And then the next day they were like, oh my God, like last night was so amazing.
I loved when we did this or whatever.
And they're kind of like alluding to what happened.
And I was just like, what the fuck?
Like this is TMI. So wild.
Okay, I will, I will say like, there's probably no way anyone is going to film reality TV people having sex.
Yeah, I think that's like, it's a little invasive.
Yeah. Yeah. But I think that's so funny.
The difference between like Love Island, they're actively talking about it after versus Terrace House is just like, oh, we'll give you some space.
Don't ask, don't tell. Yeah.
But like kind of like other contestants will kind of like make eyes at each other like, ah, you know, it is Korean shows, you wouldn't see that.
Yeah, I feel like it's usually against the rules.
It's like two scandalous.
So I have like a random question for you guys.
Is there anything that you guys do while you're watching a season of reality TV that you think enhances the experience at all, whether that's like watching clips on Tik Tok and reading comments or like, how engaged are you with the community?
Dude, I definitely look up Reddit threads after.
Yes. And I'm like, so deep into like what other people are theorizing.
I think it's helpful too, because sometimes it's like Korean Americans who are watching.
So they'll be like, oh, yeah, I read this on like the Korean forums and they're sharing it with like, you know, us on Korean and I'm like, this is valuable information.
Wait, that's so true. I get like, I get deep in there, especially if I'm really like invested in some drama, the honeymoon Ricky stuff.
I was like, in there, because I'm like, dude, this girl's like anti-vaxxers.
I found out so much information is so bad, but like, it's both like Reddit threads stalking Instagrams.
I so bad, but like, they're just out there.
So you find them, you're like, oh, they have this picture at like the same location.
Like, are they together after the show?
I yeah. Yeah, I think there's definitely some interest of like, oh, are they together after the show?
I remember after season one of singles Inferno, I was like, dude, this guy was obsessed with this girl.
There's like no way that it was all fake, right?
So I tried to look it up and see, are they still dating?
Are they like still hanging out?
Yeah, I think it's definitely a really big element that makes it so fun because other people are just as if not more parasocial than you, you know, so there's always people like sleuthing and pulling like screenshots and like compiling the teeth.
Like those are my favorite ones, like the summary post dude.
But I like recently had a little bit of like a learning moment because like I mentioned, I loved my sibling romance.
So I was fucking obsessed with that shit.
But I think I ruined the experience by like reading the forums and stuff.
Because going back to like the whole of someone is obviously there to be like an influencer, it kind of ruins the experience for me.
I think fairly early on in the episodes, people were already talking about like, oh, this guy has like a track record of trying to become famous.
And then I was kind of like, if I didn't read that, I feel like I would be having a better viewing experience.
Yeah, that sucks. I think I saw for exchange, there were some theories floating around like, oh my god, like this couple used to be in the entertainment industry, maybe like one of them wanted to get on the show to like have a second chance at entertainment.
And then that puts a whole new lens on how you're watching the show.
Yeah. And sometimes there's like leaks too, which is like very interesting.
Now you're watching the show in anticipation of like that leak popping up or something of that sort.
But I think it's still like very engaging to just like find a community of other people who are like just as invested as you are and discussing like, oh my god, that was crazy when this happened in the episode, right?
For me, that's when I friend Jen will like immediately tax each other like, oh, did you watch this episode?
And then I'll send her all the Reddit links and like Instagram.
We corroborate information, collaborate.
Dude, also like some of these people online are so good at finding information in exchange.
Like one of the people was an ex idol, you know, there's just like breadcrumbs of information that's being revealed in the show.
It was mentioned that they were in like a company to train and then they ended up switching companies to debut.
And people like found old videos of them at that like first company.
And I was like, oh my god, they were like actually a whatever trainee.
Yeah, I was like, where are you like uncovering these ancient videos from?
It's crazy too because so I'll like read the Korean forums as well as Reddit.
So as you can imagine, I'm like really deep into like all the fucking goss, which is kind of time consuming actually.
But what I find interesting is it's really common for like people to post like, oh, I'm like so and so is high school friend and like here's all the stuff that I remember.
And they'll post like yearbook photos and stuff.
And the crazy thing too is coworkers will do that as well.
And I don't know why but in Korea, like oftentimes reality TV is discussed on blind, which in the US we use as like a company forum, right?
Like you have like people talking about compensation and company culture.
But in Korea, they have like forums on blind where you can talk about shows and entertainment and posts instead of like the commenters username, it'll also show like, oh, this person is verified to be working at Samsung or like this person is verified to be working at this company.
So you can actually see that they are coworkers with whoever is being talked about.
So it's just like a very fascinating forum culture.
And I'll like always run to check that to see if there's any like juicy gossip.
Wow. Interesting. But it makes sense because there's like a level of verification that you can get from blind.
Yeah. Plus like anonymity.
Wow, maybe we should start using blind like that.
Otherwise, we're getting just random Reddit users being like, actually, I knew the celebrity in high school.
There's something it's very similar to blind called fishbowl that a lot of consultants would use.
I feel like there were a lot of bulls or like threads for like non work related gossip or things.
Yeah. But that's interesting.
That's a good use case. Actually, I never even thought that would be possible.
But now that you've like set it into existence, I'm like, Oh, that makes so much sense.
Okay, but I do have a question for you guys.
I think one of the most fun parts of watching reality TV is watching it with other people because not only can you like talk about it and like soundboard off your opinions with them, you also start to see people are so different because for me, the archetype of character that I always love is like the scorned woman.
She had this like undyne love for this guy who turned out to be an asshole, but she like stuck it out through the end anyway.
And I love her because she's stuck to her guns.
Like that's me. But my husband, he likes like the Chad character, you know, like the guy who never had like a losing moment or like a weak moment.
He was just a Chad from day one all the way to the end.
So for you guys, what character do you think ends up being your favorite on these shows?
For me, it's people who have good emotional intelligence from like watching the show.
So like their interactions with the people in their room, they're always kind of the person giving like solid advice or like how they turn people down or how they like express their feelings.
It just feels very mature.
Ooh, yeah, I think I can agree with that too.
Like having good emotional intelligence, having like confidence and like sureness in themselves so that they're not too wishy washy.
Oh, I went after this person.
They rejected me. So I'm just going to go after this next person.
Like, dude, I feel like if they're just like they hold themselves in a confident manner, if they show kind of weakness in the show, I'm not going to hate them, but I'm going to be like, oh, that's like too bad, you know, I feel a bit bad, but they're not going to be my favorite character.
Insecurity huge. Yeah, like there was this girl in exchange and I feel like she was young, but she showed a lot of emotional intelligence or like maturity.
If someone wanted to hang out with her or like go on a date with her, but she was not interested in them.
She was just like, no, like I am not really that interested in you.
And she would like call them out if they like mistreated her or something.
And I was like, dude, that's like, that's cool.
Like that's really respectable.
And she liked one person on the show and she's just like stuck to it.
At least as far as I watched.
I won't say anything. Yeah, I feel like those are definitely some important elements.
I think I also kind of like people who are very polite slash there's a phrase in Korean called tikkapta, which basically means you're being like rude or kind of like a bitch.
Sometimes like I don't like characters like that.
I like people who are polite and if they have emotions, it doesn't become their like entire attitude for the day.
Like they are able to slot it away and like process it by themselves without inflicting it onto others.
So then I like to seek those people out.
But it is interesting too, because sometimes at the beginning, someone is portrayed a certain way.
And then by the end, you're like, ooh, like you're not who I thought you were.
Yeah, you put them in an interesting situation and their reaction is so like jarring.
It's like, oh, wow, they're they're actually like so bothered.
Or like, like they really like went and did that.
Like singles and furna.
You know that guy who got rejected like four times?
And then he looked like, do you know who I'm talking about?
And his eyes were like, he was like, he was like over in the corner just like, like, I can't believe she rejected me.
Like, that was him. Oh my god, that's so funny.
I must admit, it sounds like we like the level headed people.
But for a good reality TV, you need those people who will really react and stir up trouble.
So I guess it's like, when someone is level headed among drama stars, then it's like a really attractive quality.
Oh, yeah, they shine because there's drama.
That's true. Yeah, absolutely.
I will give the drama creators props, like they're probably the real MVPs.
And I feel like you could also be a drama stir, but still get a good edit if you have good interviews.
So on your like interviews, if you're able to explain your thought process in like a very clear way, it's hard not to sympathize with someone even if they were being emotional in the moment.
It's like, oh, I can totally follow their logic because they felt this, because of that and blah, blah.
So I think oftentimes like, even in exchange to some of the more dramatic people, like I still sympathize with them because I was like, yeah, I get it.
Like it's like a shitty situation.
And I follow along with what you're saying.
Ooh, I have a question for you all.
If you could participate in one of the Korean reality TV shows, which one would you participate in?
I don't think I would qualify for physical 100 or singles in Furno or love after divorce yet.
So I feel like I feel like something like heart signal would be the most reasonable.
And that's like a nice wholesome one.
Yeah. Yeah, I feel like I would want to do my sibling romance, but I'm an only child, unfortunately.
So I wouldn't qualify. But like, I want to do a show where you go on with someone because then I feel like it would be less scary.
Like you have someone you at least know, right?
I would love my sibling romance actually.
Yeah, my brother's not single.
Well, yeah, I was actually thinking that too.
Loki, I think if I went on my sibling romance, it would be hella funny.
I don't think my brother would care at all about like who I'm trying to date or something.
I think if anything, he would just be like, wow, these guys in this house are really funny.
Go for it. I feel like Loki, I would care a lot, though, about like who he's dating.
I feel like I say, elite has never cared who I dated.
He just kind of always, yeah, sure, like he seems nice.
Yeah, same. Dude, you guys need to watch it.
It's like very interesting.
I think unavoidably, since the show features two people from like the same family, they kind of talk about their like family history and stuff.
So some of the families will be like divorced parents or, you know, some of the families will be like super well off and like clearly a happy family and whatnot.
So they'll dive into their family stories a little bit.
But what's crazy and what that opens the door to is like hate comments.
Like you can't avoid hate comments, right?
But on a regular reality TV show, the hate comment might be like, oh, this person is being a bitch or this person is such an asshole, like blah, blah, blah.
But what the family stories enable the hate comments to be is like, oh, this person is a bitch because they come from this kind of family or like this person clearly has unresolved trauma because his parents are blah, blah, blah.
And it's just like so insane.
And like, I think triply hurtful because you're dragging in like parents and, you know, their parenting skills and stuff like that.
So I think it is a double-edged sword.
Like it is a very wholesome show and like heartwarming to a lot of people, but then the haters just have more ammo and like fuel.
That's so fair. Like it's not stuff you can change to.
Yeah. Yeah. Going back to how we only see so much of what's happening actually, like, but can form such strong opinions about it.
It's probably not healthy for anyone involved.
The editors have so much power of like, you know, the public's perception of you.
And it's like incentivized for them to create characters out of you, right?
So like, if you're going to be the person that gets hated, like they're going to make you look real bad, you know what I mean?
True. What do you think your personal character would be on a reality show?
Ideally the type of person I like to watch, but I have no idea.
Wait, I feel like Anne would maybe be like the aloof person.
Like the really funny...
Should I give you aloof?
I feel like you would be like the, the like comedy relief, like the really funny person.
She looks insulted. I'm trying to find love on this show, Crystal.
I think you would be like the lovable comic relief and people are like, oh my god, she's so funny.
Like the honest character.
I do feel like I'm not like competitive when it comes to romance.
I feel like if I were to be on the show, I'd be myself, try to be friends with everyone and like, you know, come away.
But if a girl I like liked someone and I was interested in them, I would just let that happen.
Oh, interesting. Dude, that's a pretty good character.
People would probably love that.
They would be like, oh my god, I feel so sorry for Anne.
Like I'm rooting for her.
Dude, pity points is crazy.
Yeah, pity points go so hard though.
Yeah, like post show success.
That's true. Yeah. Yeah.
It would be positive pity points.
It would be like, I love Anne so much.
I just want her to succeed, but she's letting other people succeed.
So funny. Dude, I feel like I could look you see myself being like a shitster.
I think you could go either way.
Like I think I would either be like the girl that couples up kind of early and then, you know, those people who just like fizzle out of the show because they're like in a couple.
I would be either that or like a shitster, I think.
Yeah, I could totally see that.
Dude, I don't think I would make good reality TV.
I feel like I would just be so like non-reactive sometimes.
No, that's funny too in its own way.
True. I think I would love a character like you.
You know, when there's like this edits, it's just like zooming into someone's face and they're like not, do you know what I'm talking about?
They're like thinking about something else.
Uh-huh. I don't actually, I don't know if you're the type of person to like zone out like that, but that's where I would peg you.
The disassociating person.
Yeah, look at you like, ah, this conversation is stupid.
I feel like where's the alcohol?
Yeah. Gets up and goes to the kitchen.
Yeah, I feel like this question is very interesting because sometimes contestants talk about how like, like I never thought I would be this kind of character, but on the show, like things are so high stakes that were like so emotional or something.
And then I'm always like, how bad could it be?
But also I feel like my emotions fluctuate.
So maybe I could see it getting really bad on the show, but it's like one of those things where you never know.
Like maybe you as a solo person wouldn't get too involved, but because maybe you like befriended one of the other girls, now you're like dragged into the drama too and you're like, oh my god, like super invested.
Yeah, or it's like, you know, in your real life, you have like hobbies and stuff.
So then you're like, oh, you know, like I'm not going to stress about this.
I'll just go work out or something.
But on the show, you're like confined inside this house and there's nothing to do except goss and fight.
So then maybe you're like, okay, I'm bored.
Like, fuck it. At least this is stimulating.
Time to stir the pot. Well, this has been fun.
I think diving deep on reality TV, which is like one of my main personality traits slash hobbies.
And it's always interesting to sit down and talk about reality TV because I think even with the same show, we can all have such differing perspectives on it.
So thank you, Anne, for joining us today to talk about Korean reality TV.
For any of our listeners out there, if there's any juicy TV show that you've watched that we haven't talked about or any opinions that you have on why Korean reality TV has been blowing up lately, then definitely hit us up.
We have Instagram at Eat Your Crest Pod and we also have email at eatyourcrestpod.com.
And don't forget to follow us on Spotify, Apple podcasts, wherever you listen to podcasts.
We upload new episodes every Wednesday morning.
Thanks for listening. And don't forget to Eat Your Crest.
