South Korean TV's 'Hardship Entertainment' Returns with Mountain Treks and Rice Cake Struggles

South Korean television is seeing a resurgence of "hardship entertainment," where cast members endure extreme conditions for viewers' amusement. Two new shows, "Why Are We Climbing?" and "Cosmic Rice Cake House," exemplify this trend, offering a stark contrast to the popular "healing" and "mukbang" (eating show) genres.

"Why Are We Climbing?" on Netflix features four novice climbers, singer Car, the Garden, Day6 drummer Dowoon, actor Lee Chae-min, and All Day Project's Tarzan, embarking on a challenging winter ascent of South Korea's famous mountains, including Seoraksan, Taebaeksan, and Hallasan. The initial episodes show the cast's strong resistance to the idea of climbing, followed by their preparations and first trek in the snowy Seoraksan mountains. Producer Park Hyun-yong of Egg is Coming emphasized the desire to create raw, unscripted entertainment, prioritizing cast members who would exhibit genuine reactions under duress.

The show highlights distinct personalities: Car, the Garden, contemplates quitting; Tarzan maintains a fashion-forward style despite the hardship; Lee Chae-min appears unfazed and photogenic; and Dowoon offers encouragement with a strong dialect. The blend of comedic struggles, hearty meals of meat and ramen, and the dramatic winter landscapes provides both humor and visual appeal, with the first five episodes ranking third in Netflix's "Top 10 Series in Korea Today."

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We had an intention to create raw entertainment. We prioritized cast members who could show the most real reactions when placed in harsh situations on the mountain.

Meanwhile, "Cosmic Rice Cake House," a spin-off of the popular show "2x4=8" (also known as "Amazing Saturday"), places its cast, comedian Lee Eun-ji, Mimi of Oh My Girl, An Yu-jin of Ive, and rapper Lee Young-ji, in a physically demanding scenario. They operate a rice cake shop in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, handling everything from making traditional rice cakes like garaetteok, jeolpyeon, and baekseolgi, to preparing dishes like tteokbokki and tiramisu, and serving customers. This format echoes previous "business" reality shows like "Youn's Kitchen" and "Seojin's," but intensifies the challenge by adding adverse weather conditions like wind and rain, forcing the cast to work harder and often struggle to attract customers.

Producer Na Young-seok, a key figure behind both shows, acknowledges the changing landscape of entertainment. He noted that while early 2010s shows like "Family Outing" and "2 Days & 1 Night" evoked nostalgia, today's audiences respond differently. "Times have changed, people have changed, and the entertainment environment has changed," Na said. "Back then, you had to cry seeing the sunrise; now, people say they'd rather not see it. Genuine reactions are the current trend."

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Times have changed, people have changed, and the entertainment environment has changed. Back then, you had to cry seeing the sunrise; now, people say they'd rather not see it. Genuine reactions are the current trend.