X-Man

Celebrities are split into two teams and sent into a string of playful contests, where quick thinking and showmanship matter more than raw skill. One guest is secretly assigned the role of the 'X-Man' and is the only person who knows they’re trying to sabotage their own team. Much of the fun comes from the guessing, the staged missteps, and the on-the-spot reasoning as teammates start to suspect one another. The episodes keep the tone light, with hosts steering the chaos and everyone trying to figure out who is lying and who is genuinely clumsy, ending with a reveal and reactions rather than a big, dramatic payoff.

The series premiered in 2003 and was directed by Jo Hyo-jin. It’s presented as a studio-based variety talk show that mixes game segments with freewheeling conversation. The top cast includes Lee Hyuk-jae as an MC and team leader, Yoo Jae-suk as the main MC, and Kang Ho-dong as another MC and team leader.

Critical and audience responses leaned positive, reflected in a modest online average rating of 7.2 out of 10 from a small sample. Reviewers and fans tended to praise the rapid-fire banter and the way the format rewards improvisation, social strategy, and timing. The show’s structure encourages playful deception, teamwork under pressure, and a kind of social detective work that keeps episodes unpredictable.

Culturally, the program helped popularize a specific kind of team-versus-team game format in variety television, and it became a platform where charismatic hosts could shine. Its mix of games and talk influenced later Korean variety shows that favor personality-driven humor and competitive segments, and viewers remember many episodes for memorable exchanges and tense voting moments.

The show wasn’t a big awards magnet on the international circuit, and it doesn’t have a long list of major trophies, but it maintained a steady fan following and is often cited when people talk about early 2000s Korean variety programming.