Variety Show Games for Your House Party

Korean variety shows can be hilarious, especially when the game segment comes on. We’ve all sat in front of the screen laughing at our favorite celebrities fighting for their team’s pride, but have you ever thought about recreating those games with your own friends at home and bonding over some very embarrassing moments?

Here are 5 variety show games that are easy to do, and guarantee that tears from laughter will be running down your face:

• Of Course (Dang-yeo-na-ji!)

Dangyeonaji (당연하지) is the Korean expression for “Of course,” and the rules here are simple: you need two players, one of them will be asking questions and the other will be obliged to answer all of them with “Dangyeonaji,” otherwise they will lose.

This game is a good chance to joke around and roast your friends or get them to confess something you’ve always suspected. (Remember: the questions might not be always true to reality but that’s the point of making the whole game fun.)

• Cham-Cham-Cham

For cham-cham-cham, you will need at least two players, one of which will be the MC. The MC stands in front of the players (or across the other player), and after saying the chant “cham-cham-cham,” points at a chosen direction. The player whose turn it is has to look anywhere else but the pointed way, otherwise they're out of the game.

The game is won when all the players in the row manage to do one (or more) full rounds without mistakes. In the case of only two players, they take turns depending on who makes the mistake first.

• Ddakji

Ddakji is, in fact, an old traditional Korean game that also takes some origami skills. If you and your friends haven’t tried the art of folding paper by now, you can find plenty of tutorials on the internet.

The origami for this game is made of two (or more) squares folded in a rather simple way. After creating the ddakji tiles, each team chooses a throwing player who will throws one of the tiles on the table (or floor). The other team then chooses their own throwing player, who is supposed to use their tile to hit the other team’s as hard as they can so that it flips over.

The explanation may sound a little confusing, but once you see it in action, you will realize how simple the ddakji game is. It is even a common way to keep kids entertained and help them with developing their fine motor skills, although it takes time to master the art of hitting the tiles in the right place and with the right amount of force in order to flip them!

• Chicken Fight

Probably the most embarrassing game on the list by far, chicken fight requires some open space as it can be dangerous playing it at home with too many precious objects around. All the players must gather in a circle and hold one of their legs. Once the "fight" begins, they must all come closer to each other, and by jumping and pushing, eliminate those who fall or drop their leg. The winner is the last chicken to remain on the battlefield.

• Catch the Bait

For Catch the Bait, you will need some hats and something to attach a piece of snack on to them and put it on your head. The point of the game is to catch the "bait" hanging over your head with just the movement of your neck and lips, no hands involved.

For this one, you could split into two teams and see which team members catch the bait for the shortest time. Still, even if you eliminate the competition element of the game, it’s guaranteed that you will have lots of fun watching your friends struggle and make unimaginable faces in order to catch what is so close but so far away from their nose.

The number of creative options is endless as every Korean variety show has its own unique flavor. The only thing you have to do is choose! Which game seems the funniest to you? Have you tried any of these games with your friends? Leave a comment down below on any suggestions for other hilarious games to play over a picnic meal or on a lazy afternoon with friends and family!

Cover Image: Running Man (SBS)
Written by Monica Boyadzhieva