Korean entertainment isn’t just about K-dramas; Netflix is packed with a wide range of reality and variety shows that showcase Korea’s humor, creativity, and unique culture. From thrilling competitions and hilarious game shows to heartwarming lifestyle programs and celebrity adventures, these shows offer endless binge-worthy content. Whether you’re looking for laugh-out-loud moments, intense challenges, or inspiring journeys, Korea’s top reality and variety shows have something for everyone. In this article, we’ve rounded up the 20 best Korean shows on Netflix that every fan of Korean entertainment needs to watch.
1. Running Man
Running Man is South Korea’s longest-running variety show, first airing on July 11, 2010. Originally an “urban action variety” show, it features MCs and guests completing missions at iconic locations, now evolving into a popular reality-variety format focused on games. Starring Yoo Jae-suk, the program gained massive international attention, with fansubbing in multiple languages and recognition as one of Business Insider’s 20 TV Shows of 2016. Airing on SBS’ Good Sunday, it celebrated its 11th anniversary with over 560 episodes. As of December 2024, Running Man is officially available on Netflix, expanding its global Hallyu fanbase.
2. Culinary Class Wars
Culinary Class Wars is a thrilling South Korean cooking competition on Netflix that debuted in 2024. Inspired by Physical: 100, it features 100 elite chefs divided into veterans (“White Spoons”) and newcomers (“Black Spoons”) competing for a ₩300 million prize. Judged by celebrity chef Paik Jong-won and Korea’s only Michelin three-star chef Anh Sung-jae, the show ensures impartial evaluations, including blind tastings. White Spoons compete under their real names, while Black Spoons use aliases. With its high-stakes battles, expert judging, and dramatic culinary challenges, Culinary Class Wars has quickly become a must-watch for food and reality-show fans, with Season 2 premiering in December 2025.
3. Baseball Queen
Baseball Queen is a South Korean sports variety show where legendary female athletes from track, swimming, handball, judo, and gymnastics take on the challenge of baseball. Despite Korea being a rare territory for women’s baseball, over 1,100 female players and 49 amateur teams exist. The show follows these athletes as they step onto the unfamiliar baseball field, learning the game from scratch while showcasing determination, growth, and teamwork. With 10 million viewers in 2024 and 12 million in 2025, Baseball Queen highlights the exciting rise of women’s baseball in Korea, blending sports, competition, and inspiring stories of athletic queens.
4. Three Idiots in Kenya
Three Idiots in Kenya is a 2025 Netflix original variety show and the first collaboration between Na Young-seok’s team and Netflix. A spin-off of New Journey to the West, it follows Lee Soo-geun, Eun Ji-won, and Kyuhyun as they embark on a long-awaited adventure to Kenya. The trio faces hilarious and challenging games, from quizzes for food to fashion contests, Mafia-style missions, and safari challenges, culminating in a quest to find a legendary giraffe. Combining comedy, travel, and survival elements, the show delivers chaotic fun and heartwarming moments, offering viewers a unique blend of entertainment, adventure, and cultural exploration in Africa.
5. Chef & My Fridge (Please Take Care of My Refrigerator)
Chef & My Fridge, also known as Please Take Care of My Refrigerator, is a popular South Korean cooking-variety show that originally aired on JTBC from 2014 to 2019 and was rebooted on TV and Netflix in December 2024. In each episode, celebrity guests bring their refrigerators to the studio, where chefs use the ingredients to compete in timed cooking challenges. Guests select two food categories, and four chefs battle to create dishes within 15 minutes. Hosts and chefs provide commentary, and the guest ultimately chooses the winner, making the show a fun, fast-paced mix of creativity, competition, and culinary entertainment.
6. Men on a Mission (Knowing Bros)
Knowing Bros, also known as Men on a Mission or Ask Us Anything, is a popular South Korean variety show that premiered on December 5, 2015, on JTBC. Set in a high school classroom, the fixed cast, including Kang Ho-dong, Kim Heechul, and Lee Soo-geun, interact with guests as fellow students, combining talk show interviews with fun games, talent segments, and improvisational activities. Known for its casual “banmal” speech and playful dynamics, the show features recurring segments like Entrance Application, Guess About Me, and 99 Seconds Teamwork Competition. Its unique humor and engaging format have made it a fan favorite across Asia.
7. Tasty Guys
Tasty Guys is a popular South Korean mukbang and food variety show that first aired in 2015. Featuring hosts like Yoo Min-sang, Kim Jun-hyun, Moon Se-yoon, and Kim Min-kyung, the program showcases restaurant explorations, taste tests, and humorous food interactions. Over the years, it has evolved through multiple seasons and member changes, including spin-offs and YouTube streaming, earning international exposure on Netflix and in Japan. Known for its entertaining mukbang style and engaging host chemistry, Tasty Guys continues to delight fans with food challenges, taste tips, and travel specials, maintaining a loyal audience despite lineup shifts.
8. K-POP Countdown (Inkigayo)
Inkigayo, also known as K-POP Countdown, is a long-running South Korean music program broadcast live every Sunday on SBS. Debuting in 1991 as a chart show, it has evolved through multiple formats, including the Take 7 and Mutizen Song awards, and now features special stages, collaborations, and live performances of the latest K-Pop hits. Filmed at SBS Open Hall in Seoul, the show highlights top artists and promotes global recognition of K-pop. Over the years, Inkigayo has hosted numerous popular idols as MCs, maintaining its status as a premier platform for music promotions and fan engagement.
9. Physical: 100
Physical: 100 is a South Korean reality competition series on Netflix, created by MBC producer Jang Ho-gi. Premiering on January 24, 2023, its second season aired in March 2024, with a spin-off, Physical: Asia, announced to include competitors from across Asia. The show features 100 participants known for their exceptional physiques competing in individual and team challenges testing strength, agility, endurance, and strategy. Formatted as a high-stakes tournament, eliminated contestants destroy a plaster cast of their torso, while the last remaining competitor wins ₩300 million (~$240,000). The series has drawn comparisons to Squid Game for its large-scale competition and dramatic challenges.
10. Physical: Asia
Physical: Asia is a Netflix reality competition and spin-off of Physical: 100, featuring 48 contestants from eight Asian countries, plus participants from Australia and Turkey. Competitors, including professional athletes, fitness influencers, and military personnel, face high-intensity individual and team challenges testing strength, agility, endurance, balance, and strategy in a tournament-style format. Eliminated contestants smash a plaster cast of their torso, a signature of the franchise. The winner takes home ₩1 billion (~$700,000). Following its success, the Physical franchise is expanding with international adaptations in countries like the United States and Italy, cementing its global appeal.
11. Single’s Inferno
Single’s Inferno is a South Korean Netflix reality series where singles compete for love on a deserted island called Inferno. Hosted by Hong Jin-kyung, Lee Da-hee, Kyuhyun, Hanhae, and Dex, the show blends survival challenges with dating, as contestants vie to pair up and escape to the luxurious Paradise Island. Participants navigate games, free dates, and personal connections without discussing age or occupation, fostering genuine relationships beyond physical attraction. Premiering in December 2021, the series has released four seasons with a fifth confirmed for January 2026, earning global attention for its unique mix of romance, strategy, and social dynamics.
12. Animal Farm
Animal Farm is a long-running South Korean television program, focusing on animals and their relationships with humans. The show highlights pets, animal welfare, rights, adoption, and veterinary care while promoting education and empathy. With celebrity panelists, currently including Shin Dong-yup, Jeong Seon-hee, Tony Ahn, and Joy, the program combines entertainment with advocacy. Airing its 1,000th episode in 2020, Animal Farm has influenced animal-related legislation in South Korea and ensured the ethical treatment of featured animals. In 2023, the President and First Lady appeared with their adopted dog.
13. My Little Old Boy
My Little Old Boy, also known as Mom’s Diary: My Ugly Duckling, is a South Korean reality show since 2016. Unlike typical celebrity-focused shows, it highlights the perspectives of celebrities’ mothers as they watch and comment on their children’s daily lives. Through candid reactions, questions, and reflections, the show explores family bonds, generational perspectives, and parental insight into adult children’s routines. Combining heartfelt moments with humor, My Little Old Boy offers viewers a unique look at celebrity life through the eyes of their mothers, making it a standout in Korean reality television.
14. Heart Pairing
Heart Pairing is a 2025 South Korean love reality program, aired from March 7 to June 27. Produced by the Heart Signal team, the show follows young men and women dreaming of marriage as they live together for a month, traveling between Seoul and Italy. Participants explore romance, compatibility, and personal values while seeking their ideal partner. Combining emotional connections, real-life challenges, and the excitement of dating, Heart Pairing captures the journey from love to marriage in a modern, engaging format. It offers viewers a heartfelt and relatable look at youth, romance, and relationship dynamics in contemporary Korea.
15. Whenever Possible
Whenever Possible is a South Korean variety show hosted by Yoo Jae-suk and Yoo Yeon-seok, which combines lively talk segments with exciting games. The format features three-stage challenges where MCs and guests compete for increasingly valuable prizes, with a total of 10 attempts per game. Success accumulates rewards, while failure within the allotted tries results in losing them, though participants still receive commemorative merchandise. From Season 2, a bonus coupon system allows clients to join challenges without using up attempts, adding a strategic element. Season 3 introduced dice rolls for extra chances, making the game more dynamic and suspenseful, keeping viewers engaged with humor, strategy, and excitement.
16. Busted!
Busted! is a South Korean Netflix original variety-mystery show (2018-2021) starring Yoo Jae-suk, Ahn Jae-wook, Kim Jong-min, Lee Kwang-soo, Park Min-young, Oh Se-hun, Kim Se-jeong, and Lee Seung-gi. Blending scripted and unscripted elements, the series follows celebrity sleuths solving weekly murder mysteries while uncovering larger conspiracies, including secret organizations and notorious killers. Across three seasons, the detectives tackle interconnected cases, face unexpected twists, and work alongside guest celebrities who play characters linked to the crimes. Known for its humor, suspense, and star-studded cast, Busted! delivers a unique mix of mystery, comedy, and engaging variety entertainment for both Korean and global audiences.
17. Shoot of Asia
Shoot of Asia is a basketball variety show featuring Korean basketball legend Seo Jang-hoon and charismatic coach Jeon Tae-poong forming the celebrity team Rising Eagles. Combining strategy, leadership, and fiery passion, the team competes to showcase Korea’s basketball pride and conquer Asia, starting with powerhouse Philippines and top domestic clubs. The roster includes top guards, forwards, and a center, blending talent and teamwork. The show highlights intense matches, player development, and behind-the-scenes strategy, offering fans a mix of sports action, entertainment, and national pride. Rising Eagles’ journey promises excitement, skill, and unforgettable moments on the court.
18. Twogether
Twogether is a South Korean-Taiwanese travel documentary series on Netflix starring Lee Seung-gi and Jasper Liu, released on June 26, 2020. The show follows the two actors as they journey across six Asian cities: Yogyakarta and Bali in Indonesia, Bangkok and Chiang Mai in Thailand, and Pokhara and Kathmandu in Nepal, completing fun and challenging missions despite language barriers. Their goal is to meet fans who recommended these destinations, creating heartfelt interactions and memorable experiences. Combining travel, adventure, and cultural discovery, Twogether offers an engaging mix of entertainment, friendship, and fan connection, making it a must-watch for K-drama and travel enthusiasts.
19. Korea No.1
Korea No.1 is a Netflix South Korean reality show where Yoo Jae-suk, Lee Kwang-soo, and Kim Yeon-koung travel across Korea to learn traditional crafts from master artisans. From making roof tiles in Jangheung and fermenting jang in Damyang, to catching octopus in Shinan mudflats, weaving Hansan Mosi, anchovy fishing with the 600-year-old jukbangnyeom method, indigo dyeing in Naju, brewing traditional makgeolli in Busan, and mastering intricate najeonchilgi lacquerware in Wonju, the trio pushes their physical and mental limits. Each episode showcases Korean heritage, craftsmanship, and the journey to become the day’s “Number One.”
20. The Influencer
The Influencer is a 2024 Netflix social survival reality show where 77 top Korean influencers from YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram compete to prove who has the most influence. Across seven intense episodes, contestants face missions that test their strategy, creativity, and ability to capture attention, from live broadcasts and viral content creation to photo challenges judged by 100 experts. Only the most persuasive and engaging participants advance through each round, culminating in a final showdown to claim the title of Korea’s ultimate influencer. The show quickly topped Netflix Korea charts and ranked in the top 10 across multiple Asian countries.
Conclusion
Netflix has made it easier than ever to explore the world of Korean entertainment, and these 20 shows represent the best of the genre. From gripping dramas and reality competitions to lighthearted variety programs, there’s a show for every mood and interest. Whether you’re seeking romance, comedy, or intense challenges, these K-shows will keep you entertained for hours. Start streaming today and experience the creativity, charm, and excitement that have made Korean shows a global phenomenon. Don’t miss out on these binge-worthy series that everyone is talking about!
