Great Minds

Great Minds is a current affairs series that started airing on EBS in August 2021, designed to bring high-level ideas to a general audience during the COVID-19 era. Produced as part of Korea's MOOC initiative, each episode pairs viewers with leading intellectuals and cultural figures who discuss pressing social and economic questions. The show was created to narrow the knowledge gap that widened during prolonged social distancing and to counter misinformation spreading on social media. Guests include Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman, political philosopher Michael Sandel, and conductor-pianist Daniel Barenboim, who share insights from their fields in accessible conversations and lectures.

The program was co-produced by the Ministry of Education, the National Institute for Lifelong Learning, and EBS, and it launched in August 2021 as part of the Korean Massive Open Online Course effort to expand public access to expert knowledge.

There are no records of major industry awards or high-profile nominations for the series, which appears aimed more at public education than traditional television accolades.

Great Minds aimed to influence public discourse about knowledge inequality and the spread of false information. By featuring internationally recognized scholars and artists, it tried to model evidence-based discussion and encourage civic literacy during a period of heightened online misinformation.

Critical reception has been mixed, reflected in a modest average rating of 5.2 out of 10 from a small number of votes. Reviewers and viewers who appreciated it pointed to the caliber of guests and the educational mission, while critics mentioned a limited audience reach and a format that can feel lecture-like. Thematic threads include the role of expertise in democracy, ethical reasoning in public life, and the responsibility of cultural institutions to educate.