'The Masked Singer' US Exec Producer Hints On Getting Korean Stars On The American Remake Of Korean Reality Show
Korean TV networks' developing remakes of American TV series is not the only trend right now. It is also the other way around. The US remake of Korea's The Masked Singer has been owning high viewership ratings today.
The executive producer of the American adaptation of The Masked Singer would like to take advantage of this trend by bringing in some K-pop stars in the show. Craig Pletis, the EP of FOX's The Masked Singer, admitted that it would be foolish if they did not include a K-pop celebrity in the Season 2 of the show.
Pletis revealed that he already get in touch with some Korean stars for his other TV program. However, he also admitted that some may also star in the next season of The Masked Singer.
"There are so many crossovers between the United States and Korea these days, so it would be foolish to not use talented Korean stars... I hope I'll be able to share good news with all of you soon," he told Yonhap News (via Soompi).
The Masked Singer is a reality TV singing competition that is based on the Korean show of the same title. The celebrity contestants are showing off their singing skills while in head-to-toe costumes and face masks. They conceal their identities from other contestants, the panel of judges, and the audience until they got eliminated.
Pletis also talk with pride on how much the show puts an effort not only on the performances but also on the contestants' costumes. He revealed that each costume cost around 200 million won (about $178,732). The costumes for America's remake of The Mask Singer are designed by Emmy Award-winning designer Marina Toybina.
Meanwhile, the show is also smashing ratings in the US. Its pilot episode scored the highest ratings of any variety show that premiered on any network since The X Factor in 2011. Episode 1 which aired on January 2 recorded a total of 9.4 million viewers.
Aside from the high ratings, the show has also received glowing reviews from critics. The Washington Post described the premiere episode of The Masked Singer in the US as "one of the craziest reality shows of our time."
The Season 1 of the American version of The Masked Singer started off with 12 contestants. It is currently on its fifth week and four contestants-NFL player Antonio Brown, That '70s Show star Tommy Chong, NFL Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw, and Drop Dead Diva actress Margaret Cho-have been eliminated so far.
The show is hosted by former America's Got Talent host Nick Cannon. The panel of judges is composed of Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, Nicole Scherzinger, and Robin Thicke. The Masked Singer airs on FOX every Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST.