It seems impossible that their might and popularity could grow even more immense, and yet, with global superstars BTS making their return in a monumental, historic way, it seems certain that their fame will continue to write itself in the history books.
Their latest album, Arirang, is a potent, sonically rich deviation from expectations, blending club, emo-rap, hyper-pop, ’90s boyband, and more to create something distinctly their own while marrying American hip-hop flavors and remaining in debt to their Korean heritage. But this isn’t an album review. This, instead, is an emphatic means to point you in the direction of the genuinely curious, wonderfully weird, Kian’s Bizarre B&B.
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For fans of reality series – specifically Japanese and Korean reality – there’s a certain charm to the best of the genre that works in contrast to American series. From the early seasons of Terrace House, or the charm of beloved Hyori’s Homestay, or even the more recent seasons of The Boyfriend, there’s a wholesomeness to the works.
Ones that allow us to look beyond the exorbitant wealth on display to see these seaside homes instead, delectable community-made meals, and twinkling aesthetics that work on the foundations of day-to-day monotony. And this doesn’t even touch upon how even Korean competition series lend themselves to nicer qualities.
Kian’s Bizarre B&B, led by webtoon artist and entertainer Kian84 (Kim Hee-min), actress Ji Ye-eun, and, yes, BTS’s own vocalist, Jin, is a chaotic concoction of all of the above. A well-known entertainer at the center, beautiful scenery, a narrative pull, and community building through meals and everyday activities like doing laundry or washing dishes. But what’s so winsome about the series is how delightfully weird it all is, and so much of that comes down to both Kian84 and Jin himself as he responds to the chaos the leader brings.
Kian’s Bizarre B&B is built on a foundation of silly whimsy.
The basic concept is this: Kian84 is enlisted to run a guesthouse. And, in doing so, he draws an image of what he’d like that to look like. Committing himself to an artist’s whimsy, he draws an image that includes a rock-climbing wall to get into the guesthouse and a slide to get out. He builds beds outdoors so guests can lie under the stars, and a pole that connects the sleeping quarters to the kitchen. It’s fun and playful and lacking much thought beyond “wouldn’t this be neat.”
And yet the evil geniuses behind Kian’s Bizarre B&B see the vision and make it a reality. Or, to some, a nightmare. Built on a structure off the course of Ulleungdo Island, they bring the drawing to life with staggering, hilarious detail. But they also don’t look to fix any issues that might arise from the elaborate architecture.
A rock climbing wall is fun until you forget a minor item and have to scale the wall an additional time. It’s worse once Kian84 makes the rule that no one can enter the guesthouse by climbing up the slides—the slides, which, at first, could potentially launch any visitors into the water. The fireman’s pole connecting the rooms is also a neat idea, but once they reach the bottom, they realize it’s only easy going down.
Because there are no doors or windows big enough to crawl through, so, instead, they must climb their way back up the pole, which is much easier said than done (and leads to some of the funniest moments of the series where lifejackets gain a dual use).
Jin plays the straight man against Kian84’s absurd notions.
Things only grow increasingly odd by the time guests arrive. From forcing them all to eat food with their hands (and I’m talking noodle-based dishes, not sandwiches), to realizing that when it rains, the outdoor sleeping areas become less ideal, or Ji Ye-eun having to get a boating license to transport guests from the island to the guesthouse, there’s no shortage of ridiculous scenarios they all find themselves in.
And of course, a lot of the charm comes down to Jin and his involvement. And not just because he seems tailor-made for variety programs. As any fan of the band will know, he and his other members, RM, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, grew a large part of their audience through variety work.
And a lot of it was organic and homegrown, with web series like Run BTS, Bon Voyage, Are You Sure?, Jinny’s Kitchen and In the Soop. It’s easy to question the authenticity of an artist with millions of followers and more wealth than most of us can even dream of. And yet the band is built on that believable authenticity.
And it lends Kian’s Bizarre B&B a touch of magic by contrasting Jin’s more matter-of-fact, mounting exasperation with Kian84’s flights of fancy. It makes it believable that real effort is going into making this childhood playhouse of a structure run smoothly.
BTS fan or not, this reality series is more than worth the time.
Kian’s Bizarre B&B is an unexpected balm to the weary days ahead. While much of it commits to the silliness of its creator, there are moments of genuine emotion, too, such as when a father shares the story of his cancer journey with Kian84, prompting the latter to create something specifically for this man and his sons.
There’s also the endless charm of watching people simply eat together. It’s part of why Bon Voyage and In the Soop appealed so much to me beyond the bands albums or performances themselves. They offer a level of levity and camaraderie through shared meals, and in Kian’s Bizarre B&B, it allows everyday people to sit and see these celebrities as human.
It also brings together people from all walks of life who might not have otherwise met. Brief interludes of chance and the connection it fosters. Backdropped by a building with an aesthetic reminiscent of fast-food chains of the ’90s (bring back maximalism).
Armed with a tremendous sense of wonder and curiosity, Kian’s Bizarre B&B is both a lifeline for those seeking easy comfort and a way to engage further with one member of a band whose potential only grows with each release. Listen to Arirang, then watch this reality series that, amid darkening days and March snowstorms, manages to soothe and remind us of the silly, limitless nature of community.
Kian’s Bizarre B&B is streaming now, exclusively on Netflix.
