6 K-Pop Singers to Watch On Variety Shows: SSAK3, Hwasa, Lee Seung Gi

The images of K-pop artistes are so controlled that it is rare to catch glimpses of their ‘real’ selves even on their social media pages. That’s why we absolutely love Korean variety shows for their ability to get our idols to open up in various settings.

These stars reveal the silly and slapstick side to themselves and for some, showcase their extraordinary smarts. The gem, however, is when these artistes share their thoughts and the harsh realities working in the music industry. It gets personal — but that was what we were waiting for, right?

Whoever knew singer-actor Lee Seung Gi has such wit, or that Hwasa had such a rough start to her music career? KKBOX checks out the most entertaining K-pop stars on variety shows.

HWASA & RAIN, Hidden Singer 6

MAMAMOO singer Hwasa became the most talked-about personality on social networking sites after appearing on the Sept 11 episode of JTBC’s Hidden Singer 6. In the reality singing program, renowned singers compete against impersonators who would attempt to emulate their voices.

For a prolific singer like Hwasa who has collaborated with global stars like Dua Lipa, she revealed a tender side to herself as she shared her experiences in showbiz with the idol-hopeful contestants. She shared in refreshing honesty that she was ridiculed for her looks in the past and those moments have scarred her for life. Sobs.

In the previous week, Rain’s appearance had a more humorous and light-hearted vibe. We like that the show, now in its sixth season, allows the singers to display their talents and at the same time, give them a safe space to chat about their experiences in the industry. Therapeutic for them, fun for us.

SSAK3 [LEE HYORI, YOO JAE SUK & RAIN], Hangout with Yoo

The hilarious Nation’s MC Yoo Jae-suk is the star of Hangout with Yoo, where he embarks on various ‘projects’ in his downtime.

One of the projects was to form a co-ed group called SSAK3 with famed singers Lee Hyo-ri and Rain. Almost satirically, the temporary K-pop trio debuted their chart-topping 90s-styled ‘Beach Again’ and began promoting themselves like any other K-pop group.

With full sets of merchandise and appearances on music programs, SSAK3 also released five other singles, all of which made it to real-time charts. Check out SSAK3 songs on KKBOX.

Talk about the blurring lines between reality and the fictional. Still, the episodes were interesting to watch as it showed the inner workings of the industry as the trio prepared for their big debut.

MIJOO, Six Sense

Lovelyz’s Mijoo recently made news when she was accused of ‘sexually harassing’ a male student whom she was interviewing for her web variety show Mijoo Pickchu. Tsk. The K-pop singer has since apologised for her ‘careless’ remarks but to get a sense of her frank personality, watch the variety program Six Sense.

The five cast members, including Yoo Jae-suk, visit three places in each episode with one of them completely fabricated by the production team. They would have to use their sixth sense to guess which is the fake one. On full display are Mijoo’s many faux pas, theatrical expressions, and self-degradatory comments. It is sometimes cringe-worthy, but we think it is all for a good laugh. The eight-member South Korean girl group Lovelyz debuted in 2014 and recently released an EP, Unforgettable.

LEE SEUNG GI, All The Butlers

Many would remember Lee Seung Gi for his acting gigs like 2010’s My Girlfriend Is A Nine-Tailed Fox and A Korean Odyssey in 2017. But the multi-hyphenate actually debuted as a solo singer in 2004. In between six albums and many singles, the talented artiste found great success as an actor and also made his name in variety show hosting. He was highly popular in the KBS long-running hit show Happy Sunday, particularly in the segment called 1 Night 2 Days.

But it was the SBS reality program All The Butlers that won him the most accolades and recognition. In the reality show, the five young hosts spend two days and one night with a reputable figure from various industry, such as Kakao Games CEO Namgoong Hoon, and later, share the lessons they gleaned in that experience. What makes Lee Seung Gi stand out is his wit. There is no question he is the star of the program, but really, the chemistry between the hosts is pretty rad too.

CHANGMIN (2AM), My Life’s Traveling Cut

Soon to come is this reality travelogue starring 2AM’s Changmin alongside Brown Eyed Girls’ JeA, as well as showbiz veterans like Lee Chi Hyun and Won Mi Yeon. These four musicians, hailing from four different generations, travel to unique Korean destinations along with a special guest every episode. They compete to take the best photo of the day — but really, we know the fun is in the antics they get up to while travelling together. This series has a strong social media element to it as well.

This would be Changmin’s first major TV appearance in recent years. He went solo after 2AM disbanded and had tried to break into the Japanese market. The singer has always been known for his eccentric and unorthodox ways.

All Photo Courtesy of Viu.

Catch these K-Variety shows on Viu.

Listen to the K-Pop x K-Variety Playlist on KKBOX.