Reality TV for the whole family: JTBC goes back to the basics in 2024

JTBC plans to bring back authentic and family-oriented reality TV shows in 2024, aiming to engage viewers of all ages and rekindle the allure of traditional television, amid a saturated market of digital content.

Clockwise from top left, Lim Jung-ah, chief of the reality television division at JTBC, chief producers Min Chul-ki, Son Chang-woo, Kim Eun-jung and Hwang Kyo-jin [JTBC]

In the age of dopamine-inducing, fast-food-like short content, cable channel JTBC is going back to the basics in 2024 with a lineup of "reality television for everyone."

“The keyword for our reality television lineup this year is ‘roundtable reality’ — which means reality television for everyone, that people from all age groups and walks of life can gather around for at the dinner table,” Lim Jung-ah, chief of the reality television division at JTBC, said during a press conference for the cable network’s 2024 lineup on Tuesday.

JTBC, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, was behind some of Korean cable television’s most well-known reality shows, such as “Abnormal Summit” (2014-17), “Hidden Singer” (2013-22), “Please Take Care of My Refrigerator” (2014-19), “Hyori’s Homestay” (2017-18) and “Knowing Bros” (2015-). The network hit another homerun last year with “A Clean Sweep,” a sports reality show featuring retired baseball players, which recorded a 3.9 percent peak viewership rating in April 2023.

For 2024, JTBC has seven brand-new reality television shows lined up, from “Private Gathering of Actors,” which aired its first episode on Jan. 23, to “Romance Siblings” (translated), slated for airing in March, “Crazy Super Korean,” “Divorce Deliberation Camp” (translated) and “Girls on Fire,” all set to air in April, and “Last Love” (translated) and “Escape of the Full-time Child” (translated), scheduled for June.

Chief producers attend a press conference for the cable network's 2024 lineup of reality television shows at JTBC headquarters in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Tuesday. [JTBC]

The focus of these shows is to bring the whole family together, enabling them to talk about it and laugh together," Lim said. “Viewers gravitate toward content on YouTube and streaming services like Netflix because they are more easily approached and consumed, but such content tends to leave us fatigued after a while. It may sound like an age-old concept — to bring back universality to television — but shows with elements like empathy and laughter is something that traditional media companies like us can do best.”

“Private Gathering of Actors” features veteran actors including Kim Sun-young and Jo Han-chul in a program that shows the daily lives of different actors and invites them to talk about their personal and professional lives. In the second episode, set to air Tuesday evening, actor Daniel Henney will make his first television appearance since getting married last year.

“Romance Siblings” is a dating reality television program that features siblings, where brothers and sisters will observe their siblings flirting with other contestants on the show. “Last Love” is another dating reality program, which invites middle-aged contestants over the age of 55 looking for their final romantic partner. “Divorce Deliberation Camp” follows couples within a divorce deliberation period of four weeks.

“Crazy Super Korean” will showcase Koreans with extraordinary talents or personalities in a documentary-style program, while “Girls on Fire” is a K-pop audition program. “Escape of the Full-time Child” will feature fully grown adults who have not yet left their parents’ nest to venture out into society and stand on their own feet.

Lim Jung-ah, chief of the reality television division at JTBC, speaks during a press conference for the cable network's 2024 lineup of reality television shows at JTBC headquarters in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Tuesday. [JTBC]

“As you can see with this lineup of new shows, we have focused a lot on the family unit and aim to make reality television shows that anyone can watch with their loved ones,” chief producer Kim Eun-jung said. “To take one of the shows, ‘Romance Siblings,’ for example, we have had some reactions since the announcement of this one that it could be similar to ‘EXchange,’ where pairs of exes appear together, but we can promise that the entertainment of seeing siblings interact while they go on dates with others will be quite different and as fun as a sitcom.”

In the tidal wave of reality television content pouring out these days, both on traditional media and newer platforms such as streaming services and YouTube, many at the reality television division at JTBC agreed that the most important element in the genre is authenticity.

“It has become so easy for anyone to film and make content and to watch it easily on your phone or computer, so I think viewers expect that extra mile when they turn on the old-school television,” chief producer Min Chul-gi said. “And that extra mile is authenticity in the way that the shows are produced and filmed. We are always looking for ways to show reality television in the most real way possible.”

The JoongAng Group released a lineup of new dramas and films for this year along with reality television shows this week, including drama "Doctor Slump," thriller series "HIDE," and film "Hope" by director Na Hong-jin.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]