KBS's new shows for May. Courtesy of KBS

KBS will be launching a range of new programs in May, from a K-pop audition show to a romantic comedy series, as well as the new season of its music show "The Seasons."

"(KBS) has been stagnating for some time and hasn't released new programs. Now, it's time to take a leap forward again. In time for the refreshing season, I'd like to introduce six shows, set for an ambitious start," Kim Dong-yoon, managing director of the programming division at KBS, said during the press conference, held at the broadcaster's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, Thursday.

The music variety show "Synchro U," which marks comedian Yoo Jae-suk's first collaboration with the broadcaster in three years, is set to premiere on May 10. It will feature top musicians performing back to back with their own cover performances, created through artificial intelligence. A group of cast members, the comedians Yoo and Lee Yong-jin, and singers Yook Sung-jae, Karina, Hoshi, and Lee Juck, then have to guess which of the performances is by the real artist.

"This (show) is the result of a lengthy process, communicating with Yoo, in searching for a new type of variety show," the show's chief producer, Park Min-jung, said.

"The show features an AI-created stage ... followed by a genuine performance by real-life artists. Artists can recreate the AI version performance but AI can't mimic the real artists, which will offer paradoxical entertainment."

A poster for the new rom-com series "Dare to Love Me" / Courtesy of KBS

The broadcaster is set to launch its first K-pop audition show in six years, titled "Make Mate 1," since "The Unit."

The upcoming survival show, hosted by EXO's Xiumin, set to air its first episode on May 15, will bring 36 international participants to compete in making their debut as a boy group. The show's chief producer, Song Joon-young, shared that the production team has selected trainees or unrepresented singers since last July and started training the participants.

"These days, it's hard to see a rags-to-riches story but I wanted to show the rise of the underdogs. It will be interesting to see the (participants') process of growth," he said.

"The K-pop training system mainly revolves around major entertainment agencies. And if you are not part of this system, you're often excluded from opportunities to debut. But it doesn't mean these people lack talent. So we started with the intention to make a small ripple in this regard."

KBS will also release a talk show "2 Jangs 1 Verse," (direct translation), following hosts Jang Sung-kyu and Jang Min-ho meeting people on the streets to hear their life stories, on May 1 and "High-end Miser" (direct translation), about celebrities like Lee Chan-won and Yang Se-chan offering financial solutions to guests, on May 21.

Rapper Zico is the new host of "The Seasons." Courtesy of KBS

The new rom-com series "Dare to Love Me," which will start airing on May 13, will follow the love story between a conservative man, Shin Yoon-bok (Kim Myung-soo), from a well-established family and an optimistic woman, Kim Hong-do (Lee Yoo-young), who fights the difficulties of the fashion industry as an aspiring fashion designer.

The series, based on the webtoon of the same name and is led by director Jang Yang-ho, who previously led the hit series "Mr. Queen" (2020) and "Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo" (2016).

The music talk show "The Seasons" has kicked off its new season, last Friday, with rapper-producer Zico as the new host.

The show invites musicians from various genres to talk candidly and perform on the set. Singers Jay Park, AKMU and Lee Hyo-ri were the previous hosts.

Managing director Han Kyung-cheon of KBS' entertainment division noted that the upcoming shows are only the start, with more to come.

"We have been making efforts to diversify from our main viewership age, 50 to 70. One of which is 'Make Mate 1.' We've decided to be more accommodating in terms of viewership ratings with areas where younger demographics can grow," Han said.

"In the latter half of the year, we are preparing to release three to four more programs, including a unique audition-style collaboration with JYP and a mockumentary-style talk show featuring many actors. So we ask for much interest for these upcoming shows."