SBS's representative documentary program ‘SBS Special’ continues its reputation for high-quality documentaries in 2025.
‘SBS Special’ has garnered high viewer interest and praise, sweeping not only professionalism but also topicality. Returning in 2025 with a glamorous lineup, SBS Special will unveil various topics, including smart ways to maintain health (Body Experiment Season 2), the dangers of drugs and gangs invading our daily lives (War on Gangs), and the world of bread that has become a staple food (The Bread).
The goal for 2025 is also a healthy diet... ‘Body Experiment’ Season 2 is back
The first topic is our bodies. ‘Body Experiment’, airing in two parts on the 5th and 12th at 11 PM, returns for Season 2 following last year's success. It introduces smart ways to manage our bodies more healthily amidst the flood of information.
Once again, the production team has structured the narrative to make complex and diverse information easier and more enjoyable to understand through self-experimenters. In Part 1, the sensational dieter Kim Jong-won, an SBS reporter who lost an impressive 40kg from 135kg, will appear, while in Part 2, science communicator EXO (Lee Sun-ho) will join.
The program will also delve into the new trend of ‘zero’ foods in dieting. Following intermittent fasting, it introduces ‘VILPA’ (Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity). VILPA refers to intermittent high-intensity physical activities, such as briskly walking a dog or running quickly during commutes, and examines the changes in our bodies when we engage in such activities multiple times a day.
‘War on Gangs’, the breathless chase of the maritime police against drugs
In the past, South Korea was known as a drug-free country, but that is now a thing of the past. In fact, last July, Ulrich Sieber, director of the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law in Germany, visited the Supreme Prosecutor's Office and emphasized the seriousness of drug crimes, stating, “Transnational crime is one of the serious threats facing modern society.”
Airing on the 19th and 26th, ‘War on Gangs - Cocaine Empire and Maritime Police’ focuses on gangs, often considered the shipping lines of crime, and delivers breathless moments through six months of close coverage with the maritime police.
Investigators who flew to Cartagena, Colombia's largest port, received intelligence about a large shipment of cocaine entering Busan Port and embarked on a frantic chase. They also work tirelessly to uncover the reality of South American drug cartels, widely known through the American drama ‘Narcos’, which pose a threat to Korea.
The production team accompanies law enforcement agencies to explore ways to respond to transnational crime. Charismatic actor Heo Jun-ho serves as the narrator for the investigative drama, adding weight to the tense investigation scenes.
“If I were reborn, I would dream of being a bakery owner”... Jang Nara participates as the presenter of ‘The Bread’
Actress Jang Nara is such a bread enthusiast that she says, “If I were reborn, I would want to be a bakery owner.” What is the charm of bread that she conveys? Jang Nara invites viewers into the sweet and savory world of bread. Having won the grand prize at the 2024 SBS Acting Awards, Jang Nara will start her 2025 journey as the presenter of the two-part series ‘The Bread’, scheduled to air in February.
Bread has long been established as a staple food in South Korea. It has become common to see ‘open runs’ when famous bakeries open. This trend is particularly prominent among the younger generation, making bread a cultural phenomenon.
Part 1 features bread that has gained attention through differentiated branding. There are times when people wait four hours with a waiting number of 1200, only to find that it has run out. The harmony of branding and marketing through unique recipe development and emotional interior design is considered a masterstroke. Part 2 highlights the revival of neighborhood bakeries. Once overshadowed by franchises, bakers with distinctive signature menus attract customers with their unique offerings.
[Lee Da-kyum, Star Today Reporter]
