"Policy Debates Like 'Squid Game'? Ministry Launches Survival-Style 'THE LOGIC'"

Introducing "Social Experiment and Observational Entertainment" Instead of Rigid Debates
First Episode Airs on KBS on the 22nd... Experimenting with Deliberative Democracy

The government has decided to break the stereotype that policies are boring by introducing the concept of "variety shows." In collaboration with KBS, it is launching a new type of debate program that incorporates survival and social experiment formats.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on the 21st that it will air the variety-style debate program "THE LOGIC" on KBS 2TV from January 22 to February 19. The show will be broadcast every Thursday at 9:50 p.m. for 70 minutes, with a total of five episodes.

While traditional policy debates have been solemn exchanges among experts in suits, this program actively borrows entertainment elements such as survival games and hidden cameras. The intention is clear: to provide a platform for in-depth public discussion of social issues for modern viewers who are accustomed to stimulating and short-form content like "shorts" and "reels."

A Ministry official explained, "We plan to transform policy into interesting stories directly related to people’s lives and experiment with the possibility of 'deliberative democracy' where collective intelligence reaches consensus."

The main participants in the debate are 100 members of the public. Ordinary citizens, selected through fierce competition, will join as panelists to express genuine public sentiment. In addition, a star-studded cast representing various sectors will ignite the debates. K-pop idols who reflect the perspectives of the younger generation (Lee Daehwi of AB6IX, Gunil of Xdinary Heroes, Eunho of Younite) and foreign TV personalities (such as Sam Hammington, Ilya Belyakov, and Susan Shakya) will also participate, offering diverse viewpoints.

The depth of logic will be ensured by experts. A team of lawyers including Noh Younghee, Lim Hyunseo, and Shin Inkyu, as well as football commentator Park Moonsung and popular YouTuber Joo Eongyu, will examine the facts and arguments. The Ministry official stated, "Instead of dull and lengthy policy lectures, we will use the language of entertainment to show the process of resolving social conflicts in our society," adding, "We hope this will serve as a catalyst for building social consensus."