Korean media content has diversified over the past few years to cover topics such as dining, cooking, home living, romance and travel. But perhaps the genre with the most loyal viewership is the travel reality show. The thrill of travel has something in common with the novelty sought by reality shows, and the hybrid genre of the travel reality show has inspired a host of variations from the early 2000s until the present day.

The genesis of Korea’s travel reality genre was Two Days and One Night. For some 18 years now, the show has stuck to the basic concept of traveling around Korea in search of beautiful destinations. But few people think of Two Days and One Night as a travel show. That’s because each episode’s destination is just the setting for the zany missions and games that take place there, as well as the narrative spun around the cast. Programs such as Two Days and One Night were a critical turning point in the history of Korean reality shows. The program, along with Family Outing and the overseas editions of Infinite Challenge, showed viewers the pleasures of various travel destinations. Despite their travel backdrop, the main thing these programs had in common was their reliance on the traditional Korean reality show format. They played up the chemistry between the participants and the missions they had to complete while keeping things upbeat.

The travel show format in Korea began to gradually change in the 2010s with tourism coming into the spotlight. That was when genuine travel reality shows made their appearance. These shows found their footing by adding overseas destinations to a format that was initially composed exclusively of domestic locations. The Over Flowers series became the first major hit in the category of overseas travel reality shows. The basic approach was to plan a packed travel itinerary, introduce a range of activities, and arrange for a steady stream of amusing situations to occur.

While TV producers tried out many new things, one of the most striking changes in the travel reality category in the 2010s was the conscious decision to avoid the TV personalities who were the staple of traditional Korean reality shows. Instead, these programs filled their casts with professional actors, sending the shows in a different direction and altering their comedic approach. Korea’s traditional reality show format was generally characterized by a slapstick, in-your-face kind of humor. But shows produced in this period featured a more subtle, situational humor. Seemingly mundane trips taken by actors with no experience with reality shows proved to be surprisingly entertaining.

COVID-19 brought considerable changes to travel shows and trends. The growth of streaming platforms prompted innovation both in media production and viewership. YouTube-inspired travel reality shows became a major new contender while travel programs on streaming services and freewheeling, spontaneous adventure tourism emerged as major trends in the genre. Viewers were no longer interested in programs that presented conventional destinations in conventional ways. The tourist information they wanted was more real and more raw—travel with a human face. That coincided with the postpandemic craze for going somewhere for a month with no set itinerary and living like a local. Creative and immersive shows made it possible for homebound audiences to experience that vicariously.

The By Accident series of hit travel shows is driving this trend, along with Europe Outside Your Tent and Rented in Finland. These new arrivals dispense with fancy hotels, fine restaurants and famous tourist destinations. Instead, cast members go camping or stay at rustic lodgings, taking travel beyond mere sightseeing to an authentic experience of life overseas. Notably, these shows delve deeper into the charms of travel, while maintaining the core concepts of “camping abroad” and “living like a local” that maximize viewers’ vicarious pleasure. Simply put, they are real and raw, focusing on relationships and the environment. Many viewers resonate with the message they send about taking life slow and enjoying a break from our everyday routines. We’ve seen how travel reality shows have developed, but what remains constant is the thrill and passion for travel. Many of us dream about hitting the road in search of adventure. Perhaps that’s why we keep tuning in to travel reality shows.

• Lee Hyunmin is a pop culture critic and an adjunct professor at Hanyang University’s Graduate School of International Studies. His publications include Content and Popular Culture Through Keywords and Answering Through Popular Culture Issues (co-author).

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