A Korean variety show has become a hot topic even before its premiere, after the production team decided to go ahead with the broadcast despite ongoing controversies over the cast, choosing not to blur faces or heavily edit footage. The show in question is Disney+’s original variety series Battle of destinieswhich is already labeled as a Show “dopamine-max”. thanks to its provocative and unpredictable topics.
Battle of destinies brings together 49 so-called “destiny readers”, including shamans, tarot readers, physiognomists and fortune tellers, who compete in a survival-style format that tests their beliefs, intuitions and skills through a series of intense missions. Promising high tension and constant twists and turns, the show captured viewers’ curiosity by exploring themes of fate, chance and human belief systems. The series will premiere on February 11.
The show consists of 10 episodes in total. On the day of the premiere, four episodes will be released at once, followed by a staggered release of three episodes, then two, and finally one episode per week.
The jury lineup includes Jun Hyun-moo, Park Na-rae, Park Ha-sun, Super Junior’s Shindong, and Kang Ji-young, along with the 49 contestants. However, attention was drawn to Park Na-rae’s participation, as she previously suspended her broadcasting activities after being embroiled in multiple controversies, including allegations of workplace misconduct and illegal medical practices. In particular, filming for Battle of destinies it had already been completed when these problems emerged.
Faced with unresolved controversies shortly before release, the production team found themselves in a difficult position. Given the interactive and survival-based nature of the show, in which the cast’s interactions are central to the narrative, it was felt that editing out or completely obfuscating one speaker could disrupt the flow, structure, and overall narrative. As a result, the team decided to air the show as originally filmed.
On February 4, the production team clarified that Park Na-rae only appears as one of several speakers in a large-scale survival format and confirmed that no special editing would be applied. However, it is notably absent from all promotional material, including trailers, posters, and stills. This is widely interpreted as a strategic compromise: maintaining the integrity of the broadcast itself while minimizing potential discomfort for viewers during promotions.
The recently released poster and trailer have further fueled the anticipation. The poster depicts the 49 Destiny Readers standing in a mysterious moonlit space, all gazing towards a single door, an image that immediately evokes intrigue. Symbolic objects representing Eastern and Western divinatory practices, such as tarot and destiny cards, visually reinforce the show’s central question: Can humans truly read destiny?
The trailer offers a fast-paced and surreal look at the competition, with missions ranging from identifying someone who has actually been struck by lightning to predicting the fate of money. Even the contestants themselves express shock at the scale and creativity of the challenges, heightening suspense and curiosity.
As an unprecedented survival show that brings together spiritual practitioners from different traditions, Battle of destinies has already generated intense pre-release buzz. Expectations are further raised by the fact that the series is produced by a top-tier Korean variety team known for hit shows like Culinary class wars AND Let’s play footballboth praised for their innovative formats and sharp production.
By choosing to proceed with the release despite the risks associated with the cast, Disney+ is betting on the show’s originality, tension-filled missions and engaging concept to win over audiences. Battle of destinies will premiere on Disney+ on February 11 with four episodes released simultaneously, marking the beginning of what could become one of the most talked-about Korean variety shows of the year.
Sources: Daum
