KPopped! Exclusive Review: Apple TV’s Star-Studded Singing Show Unveiled

The trailer for the new show KPOPPED, produced by Lionel Richie, is a dazzling showcase featuring stars like Megan Thee Stallion, Patti LaBelle, and Kylie Minogue, along with two members of the Spice Girls. This high-octane preview, lasting just over a minute, includes explosive stage effects and Megan Thee Stallion performing a K-pop rendition of her hit “Savage”. Based solely on this trailer, one might give the show a perfect rating.

Unfortunately, the actual series doesn’t quite live up to the trailer’s promise. Each of the eight episodes follows a rigid formula: a renowned Korean pop group is divided into two, and each half teams up with a Western artist to transform one of their famous songs into a K-pop style. The newly formed groups then perform this revamped track complete with tightly choreographed dance routines. At the conclusion of each episode, the audience votes on which performance was the best “kpopped”, though the criteria are somewhat vague and seem to favor upbeat and slightly intense renditions. In episodes featuring groups like Boyz II Men, the format slightly alters, with the group performing twice, once with each half of the Korean band, essentially competing against themselves. The logic behind this might be lost on viewers, and for good reason.

While the series boasts significant star power, it tends to feel contrived and formulaic. The Western stars often acknowledge K-pop as a current trend, which they admit knowing less about than their younger relatives, while the Korean artists politely commend their iconic guests. The show attempts cultural exchanges with low stakes: Megan tries extremely spicy ramen, Kylie Minogue picks up traditional Korean dance, and Emma Bunton and Mel B partake in a tea ceremony. Two tailored covers emerge, with lyrics and choreography perfected in just two days, leading to live showcases before awe-struck audiences who would likely be enraptured by anything from ITZY or Ateez. Though Psy is advertised as a co-host, his role is limited to pre-recorded segments, leaving the actual hosting to the energetic Korean-American actor Soojeong Son.

The show is inoffensive but lacks depth and appears to be a transparent attempt to capitalize on K-pop’s global appeal. This isn’t a call to return to the days when Simon Cowell crushed dreams on live television, but KPOPPED illustrates that singing competitions thrive on some level of conflict, unpredictability, and the occasional performance mishap. Here, everything proceeds too smoothly, despite presumably complex logistics (“Did you make Patti LaBelle do this?” Taylor Dayne asks incredulously while preparing snails). Unless you’re deeply into K-pop, the show doesn’t offer much insight, except perhaps an appreciation of the intense effort involved, a reminder of the potential body image issues prompted by girl groups, and an admiration for the immaculate hairstyles of boy bands. Megan, also serving occasionally as a host, describes K-pop as akin to “boot camp”, which is one of the few acknowledgments of how disciplined this industry is. This is perhaps unsurprising since the show is co-produced by CJ ENM, a major Korean entertainment company.

Despite its formulaic nature, the show has its moments of chaos that add a spark. Boy George tries his hand at singing in Korean, T-Boz from TLC battles through a vigorous dance sequence, and Mel B eschews synchronized dancing to do her own thing. Vanilla Ice reverts to his original moves from 1990 for “Ice Ice Baby”, confusing the members of Kep1er. However, these disruptions are quickly smoothed over, and performances generally go off without a hitch. Even “Karma Chameleon” sounds surprisingly decent in Korean.

The season’s final episode brings a pleasant surprise, though it’s not particularly related to K-pop. Boyz II Men perform “End of the Road” with Blackswan’s American singer Nvee, delivering a rendition that’s as soulful as it was decades ago, albeit very similar to the original — less “kpopped” than simply crafted in Korea.