Lee Gyu-lee is a business writer at The Korea Times, focusing primarily on IT & telecommunications, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA. Prior to this, she has covered a wide range of cultural news, from film, television and K-pop to lifestyle and fashion.
Popular talk show 'Strong Heart' returns with new format
SBS' talk show "Strong Heart VS" will start airing on Tuesday. Courtesy of SBS
By Lee Gyu-lee
SBS’ hit talk show “Strong Heart” is returning with a new season after changes in its format and hosts, featuring topics that everyone can relate to and debate.
The talk show, which ran for four years since kicking off in 2009, invites celebrities to share their personal stories in a "battle format" to determine who can tell the most interesting story of the episode.
It was picked up for a second season this May, nearly a decade after its original run, with its original host Kang Ho-dong and the new cast member Lee Seung-gi under the title "Thumbnail Battle: The Strongest Hearts," or "Strong Heart League" in Korean, and ran from May until August.
Four months into its second season, the show underwent another revamp, changing the title to “Strong Heart VS” with entirely new hosts and cast members, Jun Hyun-moo, Jo Hyun-ah, Moon Se-yoon and Eom Ji-Yoon.
Unlike the previous seasons, the new season will unfold in a debate-style format, where the cast members discuss two contrasting opinions on trending topics in each episode.
“(The new season) is more approachable for the viewers than the previous seasons. The viewers will be able to watch it more comfortably,” the show’s producer Kim Dong-wook said through the broadcaster.
“We’re trying our best to find unexpected questions for viewers to engage enthusiastically while entertaining themselves with the show. Also, the guests with such different tastes and opinions will appear to show a refreshing chemistry that you’ve never experienced on other talk shows.”
“Strong Heart VS” will debut on Tuesday at 10:20 p.m.