The Masked Singer premiered last night (Jan. 2), and has built up a lot of buzz for its spectacle and the mystery surrounding its hidden performers, including Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, who was the first unmasked singer on FOX’s rendition of the show.
Though it’ll be another week until another contestant is unveiled, there are plenty of related videos on the internet; YouTube’s biggest viral video of 2017 was a video from the Thai version of the show, which is itself based on the show that originated in 2015 in South Korea under the name of The King of Mask Singer (also known as King of Masked Singer).
Unlike the Stateside version, the original pares back the theatricality; no back-up dancers or backing tracks allowed, just the voice of the singers with a live band and back-up singers as they compete to become that episode’s king. Much of the fun comes from a corner of celebrities guessing who the performers are, and since its premiere King of Mask Singer has brought to light some hidden gems within South Korea’s entertainment industry, bringing a spotlight to both veteran and new talent alike.