Na Young-seok launches new hardship-themed variety shows

Producer Na Young-seok is introducing a new wave of ‘hardship-themed’ variety shows that focus on raw, unscripted struggles rather than typical healing or food-focused content.

Netflix’s new 10-episode series, ‘Why Are We Hiking Anyway?’, follows a group of celebrities including Car, the Garden and Dowoon of DAY6 as they attempt to climb snowy mountains such as Seoraksan and Hallasan. The show aims to capture authentic reactions to harsh winter conditions and has already reached the top three in South Korea’s Netflix series rankings.

Simultaneously, tvN’s ‘Space Rice Cake Shop’—a spin-off of ‘Earth Arcade’—features cast members like Lee Eun-ji and An Yu-jin managing a rice cake business in Goheung under difficult weather conditions. These programs aim to evoke nostalgia for early 2010s survival variety shows while catering to modern sensibilities through contemporary casting and realistic reactions.