Subscribe
E-Paper
 |
| A tvN's "Comedy Big League" rehearsal is held at CJ E&M Center in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
By Anna J. Park
Comedy is magic that can turn pain into laughter, giving audiences a cathartic experience. Koreans have long enjoyed comic performances as seen by the popularity of "madangnori" ― a kind of traditional satirical comedy-drama ― over the past centuries.
Fast-forward to the present day, Koreans usually get their comedy from television. Cable network tvN's "Comedy Big League" is one of Korea's two major comedy shows, along with KBS's "Gag Concert."
While the 20-year old "Gag Concert" has seen its popularity fall in recent years, with its viewership plummeting from some 20 percent in early 2000s to about 5% recently, the eight-year old "Comedy Big League" has now emerged as a threatening competitor with viewership reaching an all-time high of 4 percent earlier this year.
 |
| Comedians Yang Se-hyung, left, and Yang Se-chan laugh during the rehearsal. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
Although the cable network comedy show's general viewership still hovers below that of "Gag Concert," "Comedy Big League" has way more followers on social media channels, proving its trendy appeal to a younger generation. More than 1.7 million people liked the Facebook page of the program, which is over four times the number of likes "Gag Concert" garnered from internet users.
 |
| Comedian Jang Do-yeon, center, performs during the rehearsal. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
Kim Min-kyeong, 38, producer of the "Comedy Big League," said she thinks the program's continuous efforts to evolve and change itself have played a key factor in drawing popularity.
"Traditional comedy shows in Korea fall into the genre of theatrical comedy. But our program is like a mixture of theatrical comedy and reality shows, involving more live responses from audience members, as well as unscripted ad-lib from comedians," she said.
Kim also emphasized that she tries to avoid comedy that hurts any particular people or groups' feelings. "I hope my comedy show could be inclusive, embracing diverse groups in society and giving them as many laughs as possible."
 |
| Producer Kim Min-kyeong talks to comedians during the rehearsal. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
The show not only showcases celebrity comedians such as Park Na-rae and Yang Se-hyung, but also has segments like "Force Baby" or "Extreme Workplace," to which ordinary moms or office workers can easily relate. Some of the show's segments encourage viewers to browse certain key words simultaneously on Naver, Korea's major web portal, to create and lead the internet sensation themselves.
 |
| Comedians Park Na-rae, left, and Kim Du-young perform during the rehearsal. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
Kim Na-hyun, 27, a fan of "Comedy Big League" who recently attended the show's live recording, pointed out that competition forces the show out of its comfort zone. Audiences at the live recordings get to score each segment by votes, and the comedians of the most popular segment get rewarded every three months.
"I think more quality comedy is created at the show, due to its unique competition system that rewards the most popular segment," she said.
 |
| Comedian Ye Jae-hyung gets makeup after the rehearsal. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
Comedian Lee Yong-jin, 33, who made his television debut in 2004 on KBS, has been starring in the tvN comedy show for the past several years, and now he is one of the program's most popular and beloved comedians due to his versatile performances. Lee said he believes comedy programs like "Comedy Big League" are the root of Korean entertainment shows.
"I think TV comedy programs are the source of the entertainment industry in Korea. For example, '80s mega-hit comedy show like 'Laughing Brings Luck' bred other entertainment talk shows, which in turn sowed the seeds for other thriving television shows," he told The Korea Times.
 |
| Comedian Lee Yong-jin performs during the rehearsal. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
"Some people say now is a bit of a downturn for TV comedy in Korea, as the public is more acquainted with its format and some of its worn-out jokes. And there are many other alternatives to enjoy on YouTube or on other online platforms. But I want to contribute towards making the comedy show last as long as possible, as if it dies down, it means the Korean entertainment industry dies down," he said.
 |
| Comedian Lee Kook-joo laughs after the rehearsal. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
