MBC’s talk show 'Radio Star' celebrates 16 years of asking the tough questions

The ongoing longevity of MBC’s signature talk show “Radio Star” is thanks to the tough questions that the guests are asked on the show — the result of meticulous work by the hosts and production staff, according to its producer Lee Yuna. “We ...

The producer and hosts of MBC's longest-running talk show ″Radio Star″ answer questions from the local press during a conference held in celebration of the show's 800th episode on Jan. 18. [MBC]

The ongoing longevity of MBC’s signature talk show “Radio Star” is thanks to the tough questions that the guests are asked on the show — the result of meticulous work by the hosts and production staff, according to its producer Lee Yuna.

“We always meet with our guests before the show and ask them all sorts of questions, so much so that they find it bothersome,” Lee said during a press conference held Wednesday at MBC headquarters in Sangam-dong, western Seoul.

“During the meetings, we try our best to figure out what we can do to make sure that the guests get to show a side of themselves that they haven’t had the chance to on other shows, while making sure that we never cross the line. Of course, this is all based on very detailed research of each guest.”

Having started out in May 2007 as a subsection of entertainment show “Golden Fishery,” “Radio Star” quickly became one of the most popular parts of the show, earning its own time slot on the channel in 2011. Two years later in 2013, “Radio Star” overthrew its first home and “Golden Fishery” stopped airing.

The producer and hosts of MBC's longest-running talk show ″Radio Star″ [MBC]

Hosted by regulars Kim Gook-jin, Kim Gu-ra, Yoo Se-yoon and Ahn Young-mi, the show celebrates its 800th episode today. It is the longest-running talk show on a major Korean TV channel. The two Kims have hosted the show since 2007 with only temporary breaks during that time. They were joined by Yoo in 2011, who quit in 2013 then joined again in 2021, and Ahn in 2019.

The show has maintained an average of 4 to 5 percent viewership rating even after 16 years, with the two episodes that aired earlier this month hitting 5.6 percent on Jan. 4 and 4.8 percent on Jan. 11.

“The very fact that ‘Radio Star’ has been holding strong is a feat in itself,” said Kim Gu-ra. “Our show is about listening to someone else’s story.”

Another aspect that sets “Radio Star” apart is that lesser-known stars have been able to make a bigger splash among viewers than stars who have already frequented TV shows. As of today, the show has met with 1,434 guests during its run.

The two Kims do not shy away from sensitive questions — especially when it comes to celebrity love scandals, which are often avoided by other shows due to potential backlash from fans. For instance in 2016, singer G-Dragon appeared on the show and was quizzed about a potential partner that rumors were circulating about, while hosts teased singer Kangnam about his breakup with actor Uie in 2017.

After receiving complaints from some viewers that pushing guests too much can be tiring for the audience, the show has “softened” its approach and now takes more care balancing between making guests feel comfortable and showing something new, according to producer Lee.

“We hope more guests feel at ease with our show and take part,” she said. “We’ll always try to bring out the best in people and we wish that guests won’t be so scared of the tough questions.”

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]