Now On My Way to Meet You (Korean: 이제 만나러 갑니다; RR: Ije mannareo gamnida) is a South Korean variety show which has been running on Channel A since December 4, 2011. It is part talk show, part talent show, and part beauty pageant.[2]
| Now On My Way to Meet You | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Variety show |
| Created by | Lee Jin-min |
| Presented by | Nam Hee-suk Kim Jong-min |
| Country of origin | South Korea |
| Original language | Korean |
| No. of seasons | 7 |
| No. of episodes | 670 |
| Production | |
| Producer | Kong Hyosoon[1] |
| Camera setup | Multiple |
| Running time | 90 minutes[1] |
| Production company | Dong A Network |
| Original release | |
| Network | Channel A |
| Release | December 4, 2011 – present |
The show is broadcast on Sunday nights at 11:00 PM over cable television, and is shot in Goyang, a satellite city northwest of Seoul.[citation needed]
Format
editWhen the show first aired, it was intended to be reuniting defectors with their estranged relatives. Episodes were shot at people's homes or in restaurants. The show never facilitated such reunions, and quickly changed format to a variety show shot in a "glitzy game-show-type set".[1]
The guests are generally young female North Korean defectors (dubbed by the producers as "defector beauties") who discuss their experiences in both North and South Korea. They discuss topics including the North Korean lifestyle, products, and food.[1] The guests are questioned by four male panelists, and perform comedy sketches, songs, and dance.[3][4]
As of 2019, about 400 North Korean defectors have appeared on the show.[1] The most famous defector participant has been activist Yeonmi Park.[5]
Reception and coverage
editThe show has been credited by the North Korean defector guests with changing the perception that South Koreans have of North Korean defectors and taking the stigma out of being a North Korean defector,[6] but also criticized by defectors for exaggerating or falsifying negative aspects of life in the north to gain viewers.[7]
In April 2017, Unreported World produced a documentary about the show, hosted by Seyi Rhodes.[citation needed]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e Kim, E. Tammy (8 May 2019). "Where North and South Korea Meet: On TV". New York Times.
- ^ "Secret State of North Korea". Frontline. Season 32. Episode 6. 14 January 2014. 32:46 minutes in. PBS.
- ^ "North Korean defectors parade themselves on South Korean talent show". 21 June 2012. Archived from the original on 21 June 2012.
- ^ Calum McLeod (15 June 2013). "North Korean defectors shine on South Korean TV show".
- ^ "탈북자 박연미, '이만갑'서 7년만에 언니 찾은 사연 공개" (in Korean). Korea Daily. 22 October 2014.
- ^ Winn, Patrick (9 October 2017). "From tyranny to reality TV: Meet the celebrity defector women of North Korea".
- ^ Kang, Tae-jun (2 November 2018). "South Korean Broadcasters Change the Way They Cover North Korea". The Diplomat. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
Further reading
edit- Epstein, Stephen; Green, Christopher (14 October 2013). "Now On My Way to Meet Who? South Korean Television, North Korean Refugees, and the Dilemmas of Representation". The Asia-Pacific Journal. Vol. 41, no. 2.