Also known as 소사이어티 게임 Original language(s) Korean First episode date 16 October 2016 Number of episodes 12 Number of seasons 1 | Country of origin South Korea No. of seasons 1 Final episode date 1 January 2017 Network TVN Genre Reality television | |
 | ||
Created by Dan Cazzola
Jung Jong-yeon Developed by CJ E&M &
Endemol Shine Group Similar The Genius, Problematic Men, Always Cantare, Actor School, The Superman Age Profiles | ||
The Society Game (소사이어티 게임) is a South Korean reality TV series, and it was marketed as one of tvN's 10th Anniversary Special Global Project shows. Society Game is a mock society game show in a controlled village environment. 22 contestants compete against each other by staying in the village for a period of 14 days. If the contestants successfully complete the challenges given to them and survive until the end, the reward of a 150 million won (approximately $150,000 USD) would be given to them.
Contents
The Society Game is produced in collaboration with Endemol Shine Group, creators of Big Brother and MasterChef.
Contestants
Rules
Society Game is a game show in which 22 contestants live in a custom-built "house" (an outdoor set) under constant video surveillance for 14 days. While in the house, the contestants are isolated from the outside world. Before the game begins, the contestants are first divided equally into two societies: Nop-dong (Green Team) and Ma-dong (Red Team). The two societies then live apart in two different areas in the house and are isolated from each other at all times besides the Team Challenge and Eviction Ceremony.
The "house" is circular in shape and is divided into three equal sections: Nop-Dong, Ma-Dong, and Neutral Zone. Neutral Zone is the connecting space between the two societies and the main entrance. This is also where Team Challenges and Eviction Ceremonies are held. The two living spaces for both teams are almost identical. Both have a Leader's bedroom, Storage, Cooking Area, Jail, and Bedroom. The Leader's Bedroom is the only air-conditioned room and the air-condition will be deactivated if anyone other the Leader enters the room. The only difference in both spaces is that in Ma-dong, there is a "Rebellion Room" and in Nop-dong, there is a "Voting Room". The "Rebellion Room" contains a gong in which a rebellion can be started and the "Voting Room" is where the contestants conduct a private vote.
Each day, the two societies compete against each other in the Team Challenge. The winning team will be awarded 10,000,000 won (approximately $10,000 USD) along with other rewards while the losing team will eliminate one member from their team and from the game during the Eviction Ceremony. At Eviction Ceremony, the winning team's Leader has the power to name a Blacklist Candidate. If one member's name is written twice, they are automatically evicted from the game.
At the end of two weeks, only three members from each society will remain and they will compete in the Final Challenge. If only 3 members remain in a society before the end of two weeks, there will be no more evictions from the team even if they lose the Team Challenge. However, if 4 or more members remain in a society by the end of two weeks, the final Leader will have to choose 2 members to join him/her to the Final Challenge while the unselected members will be evicted. The 3 members on the winning team of the Final Challenge will be crowned the winners.
Each society will also choose a Leader. The Leaders will enjoy luxuries including a personal air-conditioned bedroom and access to a personal safe. They also have the power to evict and the power to distribute monetary awards (i.e. prize money won in team challenges).
In Nop-dong (Green Team), the society is modeled as a democracy with all members having the right to vote and the right to be elected. At the beginning of each day, the members will elect a Leader through a secret ballot and the person with the most votes will become the Leader for the day. A maximum of three members can run for candidacy each election and the sitting Leader will automatically become a candidate for the next election. In the case of a tie in the votes, the sitting Leader will break the tie.
In Ma-dong (Red Team), the society is modeled as a totalitarian state with the Leader reigning indefinitely until he/she is "overthrown" in a "rebellion". The initial Leader is chosen through a challenge. However, subsequent Leaders are chosen after a successful "rebellion". At the beginning of their tenures as Leader, the Ma-dong leader must hand out 2 "Keys of Rebellion" to 2 members. Only the keyholders have the power to initiate a rebellion by sounding the gong in the Rebellion Room. If a majority of the members hits the gong within 30 minutes of the initial gong, the "rebellion" is successful. The current Leader will then be "overthrown" and replaced by the person who initiated the "rebellion".
Team Challenges
Episode One - Human Janggi (Human Chess)
Team Prize: 10,000,000 Korean won + additional 5 kg of personal belongings for team
Episode Two - Round Table of Suffering
Team Prize: 10,000,000 Korean won + Ice Cream
Episode Three - Five-Legged Race
Team Prize: 10,000,000 Korean won + Fresh Fruits (Peaches and Grapes)
Episode Four - Floor Removal
Team Prize: 10,000,000 Korean won + Ice Coffee & Ice Cream Cake
Episode Five - Number Climbing
Team Prize: 10,000,000 Korean won + Kimchi
Episode Six - PowerBall
Team Prize: 10,000,000 Korean won + Ramen
Result chart
Prize money was distributed in units of one million won (₩1M). Team challenges initially earned the winning team ₩10M, distributed by the team leader per their wishes. Later challenges increased the prize to ₩15M (as on Day 10), ₩20M (as on Days 12 and 13).
Ratings
In the ratings below, the highest rating for the show will be in red, and the lowest rating for the show will be in blue.