'The Influencer' producers say influencers may be their rivals in future

Producers of Netflix Korea's new survival entertainment show said working on "The Influencer" helped them break their preconceptions about influencers and prompted them to rethink who their true competitors might be in the evolving content creation landscape.

"The Influencer" brings together 77 of the most popular Korean content creators from various platforms, including YouTube, Afreeca TV and TikTok. The show follows the events that unfold as participants tackle various missions on their quest to become the winner. It is co-directed by producers Lee Jae-suk and Sohn Soo-jung, known for their work on the entertainment show "My Little Television" and the virtual idol survival show "Girls Reverse," respectively.

"The domestic influencer market is worth 400 billion won ($290 million) and is rapidly growing every year," said Lee during a press conference held in Jung-gu, Seoul, Tuesday.

"These individuals possess unique charms and attract attention in a manner different from celebrities. However, because they operate in such specialized fields, it's rare to see them all gathered in one place. I thought it would be fun to bring all these famous individuals together and showcase them in one show," added Lee.

Notable participants include some of Korea's pioneering influencers, such as actor Jang Keun-suk, who gained fame through his posts on the early Korean social network Cyworld before the era of Facebook. The lineup also features current popular influencers, such as travel YouTuber Pani Bottle and YouTuber Jin Yong-jin.

Lee said working on "The Influencer" helped him overcome his prejudices about influencers.

"I used to have certain preconceptions, thinking that influencers were just lucky individuals with flashy appearances who found success easily. However, after working with them, I realized that's not true. They are incredibly diligent and the amount of effort they put into preparing even a 15-second reel is astounding," said Lee.

Sohn added that the rapid adaptability of influencers to changing trends made her rethink who her future rivals might be.

"Honestly, working on this program has somewhat dampened my enthusiasm. I started to doubt whether I could create a show that could compete with these influencers. It felt as though my real competition had shifted from traditional producers at broadcasting companies to the influencers," she added.

The first episode of "The Influencer" was released on Netflix on Tuesday.