BTS Paved the Way... for Game Shows!
The global K-pop supergroup, BTS, has further popularized game shows over the years by completing a mix of seemingly DIY challenges in both ordinary and extraordinary settings.
Readers may read about Noodle Goose's 2026 BTS concert ticket giveaway by clicking here. Read on to learn how BTS paved the way for accessible game shows!
Image source: Big Hit Entertainment
BTS has appeared on popular Korean shows such as You Quiz on the Block, Na PD's Game Caterers and Running Man. BTS's label, Big Hit Music, has taken this a step further and produced their own in-house game show, Run BTS, which has served as a powerful vehicle to connect with fans.
Let's dive into how BTS and Big Hit Music harnessed the power of play, game design and game shows to support their growing empire and and what game studios can learn from Run BTS!
Run BTS is a game show that Big Hit has published on multiple platforms, including Weverse, VLive and YouTube.
We identified some ingredients that make the show accessible and successful
1. Translation of subtitles to multiple languages: Officially in Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese and Spanish; unofficially by fans in multiple other languages (e.g. Indonesian, Russian, Tagalog, and more)
2. A familiar cast of characters: always the same 7 band members (OT7).
Pictured above: BTS members in episode 1 of Run BTS. Source: BangtanTV, YouTube
Pictured below: BTS members in a special 2022 episode of Run BTS. Source: BangtanTV, YouTube
3. Game show challenges included well-known childhood/party/icebreaker games, or games that could be easily understood by an international audience. E.g. Werewolf/Mafia, limbo, scavenger hunt, telephone, dominoes, word play games, concentration, rock paper scissors and even peeling boiled quail eggs and cooking kimchi.
Image source: BangtanTV, YouTube
4. Run BTS's game design's simplicity and variety (physical, social, mental) don't overshadow group members and allow the game to showcase the players' personalities, their interactions, and their strengths and weaknesses in a playful setting. The final edited product is extremely entertaining and has fans feeling immersed in group lore and close to the members.
5. The games are well-written with a clear story format and editing style that retains fans and gets them watching longer and more easily able to talk about the show. Game writing is often overlooked and never should be. Games are media, and media is a form of communication. Simply choosing better thumbnail, tagline or instructions can make all the difference in how people receive your game.
What does this mean for game developers?
-Simple and low-tech games are fun. Even if things get complicated, it helps to at least have a clear theme or format.
-Accessibility, clear storytelling and consistency will expand market reach and retain audiences
-Game design that brings out interesting human behaviour always makes games more compelling.
Noodle Goose's services include game show design and production for live events. We've learned that the time constraints of short games means it is important to follow the principals we just listed to ensure the games we design are accessible to players, audience members, make it much easier to satisfy event partners with a successful activation.