The Real Reason Why Korean Reality TV Programs Travel

There has been a traveling boom in the television world.

On September 11 KBS 2TV aired the pilot episode of "Sea I Wanted" (tentative translation). This show is a program that is centered around yacht travels.

If we take a close look at recent entertainment programs, it seems as if there is a running theme of travel.

These include entertainment programs such as KBS 2TV's "1 Night 2 Days," "Mamado," MBC's "Dad Where Are You Going," tvN's "Grandpas Over Flowers," and travel programs such as SBS "Law of the Jungle" and "Jjak."

So why has travel become the focus of so many entertainment programs? To put it simply, officials say "Travel brings about unexpected incidents."

According to a KBS entertainment rep, "When you travel, a lot of unexpected things happen. Entertainment is better when there are more variables. With variables, you can see more character. That's why travel is beneficial for entertainment."

Shin Hyun Joon, the oldest cast member of "Sea I Wanted," spoke up at a press conference, saying, "It took us 14 hours to get to a place that's only 8 hours away because the wind wasn't blowing that day. As a result, we were amidst an unexpected circumstance." PD Jo Sung Sook said, "Although we made a lot of preparations, there isn't one thing that went according to plan."

There's also talk that this new trend is due to a changing entertainment trend that seeks something different.

One entertainment PD said, "When you travel you can capture a lot of different imagery," highlighting the perks of travel entertainment. He continued, "Viewers like to see things for themselves instead of having things described to them. If we want to show them a variety of situations, then it's only natural that filming time gets longer, and the best way to do it is through travel."

In addition, travel entertainment is getting more popular through the viewers' demands.

"1 Night 2 Days," which aired its first episode in 2007, and "Dad Where Are You" are currently number 1 in viewership for many weeks in a row now. Even "Grandpas Over Flowers," which has the handicap of being shown on a cable channel, is currently rising in viewership.

Because there are a lot of entertainment programs, it's easy for it to become boring or repetitive, so it's important to tackle that concern carefully. One rep commented, "I think the travel trend is the best experience right now, and it's likely to flow this way for a while."