Disney+ bets on midform variety shows

Disney+ is set to launch five midform variety shows starting Aug. 22, each approximately 30 minutes in length, mirroring a format popularized by Netflix.

The slate features five programs, each with its own concept and style, scheduled to premiere on fixed days from Friday through Tuesday. Episodes will release daily at 8 a.m., with the lineup expected to run through the end of the year.

“We’re offering a fresh, flexible viewing experience that aligns with contemporary consumption habits,” a Disney+ official said in a statement. "The early morning release schedule allows viewers to engage with the content at their convenience throughout the day."

The five shows include: "Anchovy Physical Camp," a hybrid fitness and variety show featuring TV personalities DinDin, Jonathan and Choi Daniel, premiering Aug. 22, and "60 Minutes to Love," which follows actor Ji Ye-eun as she embarks on a series of blind dates, with each date lasting just 30 minutes. The program premieres Aug. 23.

"Belly Showdown," a fresh take on the "mukbang" trend of broadcasters eating on camera, will feature TV personalities Seo Jang-hoon, Shin Ki-ru, Shindong, Lee Kyu-ho, Pungja and Na Sun-wook as they tackle challenges involving high-calorie food consumption. The show will bring out a new episode every Sunday.

Short-format interview show "Yoo Got a Minute?" -- hosted by comedian Yoo Byung-jae -- will air every Monday, while "Chef’s Go-To," a variety series that visits the hidden favorite eateries of top Korean chefs, including breakout stars from Netflix’s “Culinary Class Wars,” will drop every Tuesday.

This initiative marks the second major effort by a streaming platform to carve out the midform variety niche in Korea, following Netflix’s rollout of five daily shows earlier this year. The format is understood as aiming at bridging the gap between traditional long-form variety shows and the booming short-form content space, delivering programming that can adapt to rapidly evolving viewer preferences.