Observational Reality Shows: Voyeurism in South Korea

This piece is the one of the runners-up of the Double Exposure 2025-2026 High School Essay Contest.

Today’s South Korea’s entertainment industry is dominated by “observational reality shows.” This genre of entertainment solidified its position as a mainstream genre by tapping into the loneliness and curiosity about others that individuals in today’s world have. Recently, observational reality shows such as “Mukbang,” in which the cast eats food in front of the camera, or dating shows that focus on establishing romantic relationships between the cast, have become predominant. Such programs appeal both emotionally and visually to the audience, succeeding to engage viewers. These observational reality shows have become a trend, but it is ironic in the sense that Korea was traditionally a Confucian society, in which observing romantic relationships of other people and observing other individuals eating were historically considered to be profoundly rude and ethically problematic. Looking through the lens of the past when formality and decency were the most important values, South Korea has dramatically changed to a society where observing other’s deeply personal lives has become the norm. 

Observational reality shows are typically produced at a very large scale. Static cameras are prepared to eliminate blind spots, while drones and miniature cameras are also utilized. In the residence of the subject of observation, myriad cameras with different functions and forms are installed around the whole house, in places like the kitchen, the living room, or even in the bathroom or the bedroom. This reflects the production crew’s tenacious efforts to capture every single move and every single aspect of the daily life of the cast. When there are multiple casts that need to be observed, camera operators get assigned to each of the cast, following them everywhere they go like a shadow. Every minor detail like what they eat, what they wear, who they meet and what they talk about are all recorded on video. The audience develops familiarity with the cast through such detail. The range of topics such observations cover are infinite. Areas that Koreans couldn’t even have imagined several decades ago, such as childcare, the military, schools, workplaces, and even divorce, romantic life, sexual life, international trips, sports stars, celebrities and their families, regardless of age, gender, time and place are being observed and produced into television programs and have become the central pillar of the Korean entertainment industry. Areas that were initially intolerated in Korean society are rapidly unveiling and rising up to the surface, provoking the curiosity of viewers. We often call cheap cars that take up a lot of gas “gas guzzlers.” The current Korean observational reality shows can be referred to as “eye guzzlers” that swallow every single aspect of private life with eyes. It is a visual predator that gains view rates by using the private life of others as fuel. How did Korean society fall into such immense collective voyeurism? Behind this fascinating social phenomenon is the lack of communication. The fall of the community culture in Korea, which was present until the 1990s, ultimately led to social isolation. Especially after the pandemic, as people started to find social interaction difficult and exhausting, the trend of social isolation accelerated. As more and more individuals experienced loneliness in solitude, this led to the obsession with other people’s private lives, as people desired to fill in their emotional voids by interacting with celebrities through the screen. 

Often considered to be a virtuoso of the field of thriller, Alfred Hitchcock’s 1957 film Rear Window is often brought up when discussing the voyeurism of humans. This film is a classic that shows the tension between the observer and the observed. Jeff (played by James Stewart) is a photographer who injured his leg during work, and is confined to his small apartment. Stuck in a wheelchair and disconnected from society, he develops an obsession with the view outside his window. As he spent his day in absolute solitude, Jeff coincidentally ‘observes’ his neighbors living in the apartment across from him. Although he initially hesitated and felt guilt, it eventually turned into “entertainment.” The private lives of others have become a source of entertainment. The core of voyeurism occurs when one is observing, but the one being observed isn’t aware about the observation. The satisfaction created by this imbalance is the very essence of voyeurism. In short, this is only possible when the observer is at a superior position relative to the observed. The very fact that one is aware of every single minor detail of another individual’s private life creates an odd power dynamic. Hence, voyeurism is not necessarily associated with ethics, but rather with innate desire and power. The human instinct to informatize and “own” others is at the very foundation of it. Peep shows are examples of the blatant sexualization of voyeurism. This is an example that clearly demonstrates the violence of observation. The performer beyond the screen earns money by voluntarily becoming the subject of observation. These individuals trade their integrity with financial gain. On the other hand, people who enjoy such peep shows are the consumers. They gain power through observation, while simultaneously consuming their own sexual desires. In such a structure, humans are becoming objectified. 

In modern day Korea, not just celebrities, but ordinary people are becoming the subjects of observation through the rise of romantic reality shows, in which anyone can be casted to have their matchmaking process observed from zero to ten and produced into a television show. With programs such as I’m Solo gaining explosive attention from the public, more than 30 romantic reality shows are currently present in South Korea’s entertainment industry. The fact that Korea has abandoned its traditional values of protecting private aspects of life and has transitioned into a voyeuristic society indicates that the country has entered a new form of capital market. While the casts of such observational reality shows potentially face criticism from the audience (as every single aspect of their character and lifestyle are revealed), they are guaranteed to obtain fame. In Korea, people are increasingly volunteering as subjects of observation as leverage for success. Sociologist Han Byeong-chul quoted the trend of people actively “exposing” themselves in romantic observation reality shows like I’m Solo as “Digital Panopticon.” Unlike in the past, where people were confined in prisons unaware that they were being observed, modern people are eagerly opening their own cell bars to expose their raw self to the public. Hence, South Korea’s observational reality shows cannot be described simply through the pathological analysis of voyeurism, but through industrial factors such as the desire for recognition and the consumption of products. This isn’t simply an area of hobbies, but rather an immense societal mechanism. Voyeurism and exhibitionism are ironically the faces of the Korean entertainment industry. These faces reflect the distorted desires modern society has created.

Zio Park is a Year 11 student attending Upper Canada College in Toronto, Canada. Zio enjoys reading about politics, and enjoys listening to music. As a member of his school’s film club, he participated in the production of numerous school-led films, and starred in some. He aspires to become a politician in the future.