2020
WISE Score
TMDB
Seven global superstars go to the woods to cook ramen, nap, and avoid the 'idol' grind. It’s basically ASMR for the soul.
8.5
8.5View →This is the ultimate 'low-stakes' show. In the Soop is exactly what it claims to be: a bunch of friends hanging out in a nice house in the woods.
There’s no plot, no competition, and no drama. For a fan, it’s a goldmine of personality. For a parent, it’s a rare piece of media that you don't have to worry about.
It’s clean, it’s kind, and it’s a great example of how to treat your friends. Just be prepared for your kid to ask for Korean snacks immediately after watching.
Best for ages 8 and up. Younger kids can watch it safely, but unless they’re already obsessed with the band, the subtitles and lack of 'action' will have them wandering off in five minutes.
It’s the antithesis of the 'Real Housewives' brand of reality TV. Instead of manufactured catfights, you get seven guys genuinely enjoying each other's company, cooking together, and napping. It models healthy male friendship in a way we rarely see.
While it's a standard reality format, it showcases the members engaging in painting, woodcarving, and impromptu jam sessions. It might spark a kid to pick up a paintbrush or a guitar instead of a controller.
Zero violence, zero toxicity, and no 'surprises.' The most 'dangerous' thing here is a sharp kitchen knife or some casual drinking of beer and soju during dinner, which is handled responsibly.
In a world of 15-second TikTok brain rot, this is 'Slow TV.' It teaches the value of downtime and 'healing.' It’s a great way to lower the collective household cortisol levels.
If you’re used to the manufactured screaming matches and cliffhangers of Western reality TV, In the Soop will feel like a glitch in the matrix. There are no eliminations. No one is "here to make friends" because they’ve been friends for a decade. It’s essentially a high-budget home movie of seven guys who happen to be the biggest pop stars on the planet.
The 2020 season arrived at a time when the world was stuck inside, and it hit a specific "healing" note that the fandom still treats as a sacred text. Now that we’re navigating Jungkook and the 2026 BTS Reunion, looking back at this series helps explain why the bond between these seven is so intense. They aren't just coworkers; they are people who genuinely enjoy watching each other nap and arguing over who makes the best fried rice.
Critics and casual viewers often call this show boring, and they aren't necessarily wrong. If you aren't invested in these specific people, watching a man paint a canvas for twenty minutes or another man fail at fishing is a tough sell. But for a fan, that "boring" quality is the entire point. It’s a detox from the hyper-edited, high-energy content that usually fills their feeds.
The show manages to be compelling without being loud. You see the members deal with rainy days, minor cooking disasters, and the genuine awkwardness of having nothing to do. It’s a masterclass in low-arousal media. If your kid is currently stressed about the BTS Arirang World Tour: Surviving the 2026 'Ticket War', putting this on is the equivalent of a digital weighted blanket.
One of the best things about In the Soop is how it treats hobbies. In an era where "content creation" is the default setting for young people, seeing global icons spend hours on a LEGO set or a puzzle without a timer or a prize is refreshing. It reframes leisure as something you do for yourself, not for an audience.
If your kid is inspired by the show, lean into it. The "Soop" vibe is easy to replicate at home. You don't need a lake house in Korea; you just need a weekend where the goal is specifically to have no goal.
Don't expect to put this on in the background while your kid plays a game or does homework. Because it’s in Korean, it requires focus. If they aren't reading the subtitles, they’re missing the dry humor and the internal jokes that make the show work. It’s a sit-down-and-watch experience, which is rare for reality TV. If they’re willing to put in the effort, they’ll get a glimpse of a friendship dynamic that is remarkably healthy, supportive, and—most importantly—real.
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