Knowing Bros
Knowing Bros
| Knowing Bros | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | *Ask Us Anything Men on a Mission Brother That I Know* |
| Genre | Reality television |
| Written by |
|
| Directed by |
|
| Creativedirector(s) | Jo Seung-wook[1] |
| Starring |
|
| Country of origin | South Korea |
| Originallanguage(s) | Korean |
| No.of episodes | 197 (as of September 21, 2019)(list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 120 minutes |
| Productioncompany(s) | SM C&C[2] |
| Distributor | JTBC |
| Release | |
| Original network | JTBC |
| Original release | December 5, 2015 – present |
| External links | |
| Website [57] | |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 아는 형님 |
| Hanja | 아는 兄님 |
| Revised Romanization | Aneun Hyeongnim |
| McCune–Reischauer | Anŭn Hyŏngnim |
Knowing Bros (Korean: 아는 형님; RR: Aneun Hyeongnim), also known as Men on a Mission or Ask Us Anything,[3][4] is a South Korean television entertainment program distributed by JTBC.
| Knowing Bros | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | *Ask Us Anything Men on a Mission Brother That I Know* |
| Genre | Reality television |
| Written by |
|
| Directed by |
|
| Creativedirector(s) | Jo Seung-wook[1] |
| Starring |
|
| Country of origin | South Korea |
| Originallanguage(s) | Korean |
| No.of episodes | 197 (as of September 21, 2019)(list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 120 minutes |
| Productioncompany(s) | SM C&C[2] |
| Distributor | JTBC |
| Release | |
| Original network | JTBC |
| Original release | December 5, 2015 – present |
| External links | |
| Website [57] | |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 아는 형님 |
| Hanja | 아는 兄님 |
| Revised Romanization | Aneun Hyeongnim |
| McCune–Reischauer | Anŭn Hyŏngnim |
Format
Brother School
The current format (from episode 17) explores the high school concept where the cast members act as students in a classroom while the guests would come as newly transferred students. Most of the segments for this format portray activities that every student would do with their classmates. Subsequently, the program would sometimes diversify at the end with a segment outside of the school concept. This format has received praise from the viewers which led to a significant increase in ratings and popularity of the program after several episodes.
There are at least two permanent segments, which have defined the Brother School format:
Entrance Application – a segment where the guests filled an application form beforehand in which one of the cast members would read and the others would comment on them. A highlight of this segment is the guests' preferences for which cast members they would like or would not like to sit next to them. At times, the guests can show their strengths and/or weaknesses that could be shown through this segment.
Guess About Me – a segment where the guests had prepared several questions related to themselves. Some of the questions are vague or extremely private in which the guests had never revealed to the public. In another format, for idol groups with more than 5 members on their first visit, they will have their names covered, and as Heechul reveals a fact about the member, the group members would try to confuse the cast members.
The episodes may also feature either of the following segments, usually within, in between, or following the above permanent segments:
Second Period – a segment which usually comes after the permanent segments and varies between guests. In most cases, the guests made suggestions on the activities for this segment. It varies from counselling sessions, art class and physical education class.
Let's Play – a short segment when the guests would challenge the cast members on a game, which the former are confident in winning, usually by unorthodox means such as on-the-spot rules. The guests usually end it in a challenge where they need to defeat every cast members consecutively.
Three No's (No Concept, No Basis, No Script) – a segment which revolves around an ad-libbed skit where the cast members and guests were not given any dialogue or definite story line. They can only rely on the overall theme of the particular week's skit and their own comedic timing.
Music Class (Songstagram) – a segment where the guests had created a list of songs with a specific theme of their preference. The segment focused on the cast members' effort in guessing all of them in the correct order. Hints, such as release date, characteristics, or "Jonghyun's game" as it was introduced in ep. 29 by the late Jonghyun (Shinee), wherein the beginning syllable/note of a verse is given with its rhythm) are used to help the members.
Lee Sang-min Time – formally introduced in ep. 56 and formerly called Choose Your Type, it is a short segment wherein the guests (usually the females) are briefed by Lee Sang-min to choose any of the cast members (plus any accompanying male guest) as their ideal partner. The specifications are that all members are "equal" in terms of legal, socioeconomic, & civil statuses; and that the choice is based only on their physical appearances and personalities.
Dancestagram – formally introduced in ep. 57 by Chanmi (AOA), but in an episode with Psy it became a segment where PD play the beginning syllable/note of a song and they have to guess the title, lyrics and dance move.
99 Seconds Teamwork Competition – a segment which often used when a large group of people were guests on the program, such as idol groups. The segment varies each episode in terms of missions, but the members team and the guests must complete them within 99 seconds. If a team manages to complete them in time, the other team is given a chance to produce a better time record.
Classical Culture Class - a segment is all about pop culture references to forgotten decades.
Imagination Time - a segment which starts with a warm up, like drawing something from shapes, and guessing lip-synced words. The highlight of "Imagination Time" (Hangul: 상상력 시간) is Guess the Drama Line, the members and guests have to guess what is the next line of the scene from a drama shown to them.
Knowing Lunch - a segment which comes in between the Entrance Application segment and the Guess About Me segment. The members and guests answer questions (either in an individual battle or as a team) given by the production team and if they are guessed correctly they can eat one of the numerous side dishes selected, other than white rice and light soy sauce that was already provided beforehand. A variation of this is that each member must freely ask a question that a certain number of people can get correctly. For example: Only 4 people can answer this question correctly: What it the name of the famous picture painted by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch? In ep. 183, since Jeon So-mi answered with a transliteration of its English name (The Scream), and only 3 others answered by its Korean name, it was still deemed as a pass after review. There is also one question where a specially requested item is covered under a cloche. The way to gain the food item varies in each episode. Once the food items are earned, certain items can be requested for seconds.
A notable aspect of the show is the usage of the banmal (Hangul: 반말; "informal language") manner of speech used by everyone regardless of their age or seniority, thus disregarding the Korean language's strict seniority rules with spoken language and the sunbae–hoobae hierarchy in the Korean entertainment industry. The informal speech and casual setting also encourages the guests and cast to interact with each other as schoolmates often do, leading them to be comfortable enough to tease one another.
Special Episodes
These episodes do not follow the Brother School format.
| Episode(s) | Name | Guest(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | Never-ending audition – Knowing Girls | I.O.I |
| 34 | Brothers Club VS Sisters Club | Lovelyz |
| 44 | Girl Group Laboratory | DIA |
| 51 | Duet Project – Universe Cowards | Momo (Twice) |
| 59 | Ultimate high school matchup | Cosmic Girls |
| 71 | Promise fulfillment for achieved 5% ratings | |
| 107, 108 | Question Solving Picnic | Oh My Girl |
| 114, 115 | Knowing Bros Music Video Battle | Song Eun-yi, Yoo Se-yoon, Hong Jin-young |
| 187, 188 | Brother School First Field Trip | ITZY |
- Special segment**: Knowing Bros Award**
An annual year-closing episode, Knowing Bros Award, started on December 29, 2018. In this episode, the hosts review the corners and the appearances from the guests that were featured in the latest year.
Previous
| Name | Episode(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ask Us Anything | 1 - 13 107 - 108 | It was a concept where viewers were able to solve the questions posted on the bulletin board in a way that the cast members could use through the contest. The concept briefly returned on episodes 107 & 108 to commemorate the 2nd anniversary of the show. |
| Mental Victory Battle | 14 - 16 | It was a Talk/Game Show. It seemed to have emerged under the judgment that stable format was needed by calling two entertainers candidates who need mental victory and to play a logical confrontation and to select a winner. Because of this, it was impossible to escape the criticism that the old freshness disappeared and became a cliché. In one of the segments, they would begin with the "esteem up and down", PD show picture and guest should thumbs up or down then they explain their reason. After listening, host press the button for the person who has a better psych. |
Presenters
Cast
The program's original cast consisted of Kang Ho-dong, Lee Soo-geun, Seo Jang-hoon, Kim Young-chul, Kim Hee-chul, Hwang Chi-yeul and Kim Se-hwang.[5][6] Min Kyung-hoon was added to the cast formation on the second episode aired on December 12, 2015. Hwang Chi-yeul and Kim Se-hwang left the program after the seventh episode aired on January 16, 2016. Lee Sang-min joined the program as the newest addition to the cast on March 5, 2016.
Current cast
| Name | Nickname(s) | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kang Ho-dong 강호동 | Brother School Captain (아형고 통) Oldest Brother (옛날 형님, 큰형님) Bat (박쥐) Fat Bat (뚱박) Harley Dong (할리동) Tom (톰) Face Genius (얼굴천재) Crockery (장독대) Vocal Genius (음악천재, 음천) Pig (돼지) Okja (옥자) | Ep. 1 – present | The oldest and strongest member of the cast, who is known for his outdated comedic sense.[7][8] He is a highly decorated former Ssireum athlete, who managed to receive many awards throughout his professional career. The cast members often tease him for his friendly rivalry as an MC with Yoo Jae-suk, the "Nation's MC", and the fact that he has the highest appearance fee out of the members due to his seniority in the industry.[9][10][11] He used to be called out for his poor treatment of guests when he was the MC of Star King, and now being teased, especially by IZ*One for favourtism towards Sakura Miyawaki as they starred in Everyone's Kitchen together.[12] He is also the 'center' of the class because he often sits misaligned to the table, giving the illusion of him being the center from the point of view of the guests and teachers standing at the front. He is also teased for not fixing his Southeastern dialect, when Heechul had to fix his Gangwon-do dialect. After he defeated Seo Jang-hoon in the battle of looks, he acquired the nickname “Face Genius” (얼굴천재) from Oh My Girl member, Seunghee[13]His main theme song is "Love Theme from the Godfather" by Nino Rota from the film The Godfather; and occasionally a variation of "The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)", usually by Japanese group Kuricorder Quartet. |
| Lee Soo-geun 이수근 | Dwarf Village Chief (소인마을 이장) Smurf (스머프) Ace (에이스) God of Improvisation (콩트의 신) Kang Ho-dong's right-hand man (강호동의 오른팔) True Embodiment of Knowing Bros (사실상 아는 형님의 전신) Recreation Manager (오락 부장) | Ep. 1 – present | He is known as the right-hand man of Kang Ho-dong and the class clown of the program. He is responsible for reading the Entrance Application on new students. The cast members often tease his previous gambling scandal that caused him to resign from any TV activities for a couple of years.[14][15] He was also teased for being cold and distant towards people who had been in other shows with him, despite his funny shows, a stark contrast to Hodong. His main theme song is "All In Theme (Orchestra Version)" from the 2003 South Korean drama All In; and occasionally "Public Enemy" (공공의 적) by Jo Yeong-wook from the 2002 South Korean film of the same name, "You Be Illin'" by hip hop group Run-DMC, and "La La Song" by Hoyt Curtin from the animated television series The Smurfs. |
| Kim Young-chul 김영철 | The one whose seat is always taken away (맨날 자리 뺏기는 애) Noisy Brother (시끄러운 형) D.a.n.g Boss (당갑, DANG甲) Least-Funny Icon (노잼의 아이콘) The unfunny one (재미없는 애, 안 웃기는 애) Talent Breaker (개인기 브레이커) Comrade Kim Yong-chol (김영철 동무) Invisible Man (투명인간) Wallflower (병풍) Comedian, Not Canadian | Ep. 1 – present | On this show, Kim is in charge of being the awkward and unfunny person in everybody's high school class (despite him being very entertaining in real life). He is also known for his promise to leave the program once it passed the 5% viewership rating.[16][17] He is also the most fluent English speaker, touted as the most fluent English-speaking Korean comedian, but his English jokes are also considered unfunny only because nobody else can fully understand him. He was later teased by English-speaking guests for him to only hang out with foreign guests and dignitaries in public. Occasionally "Gone Not Around Any Longer" (있다 없으니까) by South Korean duo SISTAR19 is his theme song, as well as his own songs "Ring Ring" (따르릉) & "Andenayon" (안되나용); his North Korean theme songs include "Greetings" (반갑습니다) by North Korean singer Ri Kyong-suk (리경숙), & "Whistle" (휘파람) by North Korean singer Jon Hye-yong (전혜영). |
| Seo Jang-hoon 서장훈 | 207 centimeter Giant (207CM 거인) Giant/Titan (거인) Symbol of Break-ups (이별의 상징/아이콘, 헤어짐의 아이콘) Epitome of Legal Separation (법적 이별계의 독보저 존재) Seo Ph.D, Break-up Expert (이별 전문 서박사, 이별 서장훈 선생) Honorary Ambassador on Divorce (이혼 홍보대사) Ssamja's Father (쌈자 아비) Landlord (건물주) Worth $600 million (6천억) Fact Bomber (팩트 폭격기) Big Bat (장박) Class President Seo (반장님, 서 반장) Dream Breaker (드림 브레이커) Ex-son-in-law (훈 서방) Chatterbox (수다쟁이) Genius (천재) Seogolas (서골라스) Gold spoon class (금수저) Settlement Expert (합의 전문가) Pillar (기동) Utility Pole (전봇대) Acting Genius (연기천재) Leonardo SeoCaprio (리오나르도 서카프리오) | Ep. 1 – present | A former center of the Korean Basketball League, he is the tallest member of the cast. Often teased about his height (at 207 cm, roughly 6 feet 9 inches), wealth (to the point of him being a landlord, or former landlord, of many dorms of idol groups), high-profile divorce and bad physical health; having close guesses in "Guess About Me", only to be robbed at the last minute, but when he gets it right, he would walk from the corner to the high-boom camera on the other corner of the room, often with a baseball bat, then switching partners. His main theme song is "The Last Match" (마지막 승부) by South Korean singer Kim Min-gyo, theme song of the 1994 South Korean drama of the same name; and occasionally "Scars" (상처만) by South Korean singer BOIS from the 2010 South Korean drama Secret Garden, and "Rainism" by South Korean singer Rain. |
| Kim Hee-chul 김희철 | Psycho (돌I, 돌+아이; the actual spelling being an insult as well as a swear word) Psycho Brother (돌I 형) Universe Big Star (우주대스타) TV Maniac (TV 덕후) Mr. Kim Stop-It (김 그만 하라고 씨) Kim Hee-mi (김희미) King of Seriousness (정색왕) Human Jukebox (인간 주크박스) Music Master (가요박사) Music Search Engine (음악 검색기) Impersonation Machine (모창 머신) Kangwon-do Representative (강원도 대표) Knowing Bros/Brother School's Anti-Smoking Honorary Ambassador (아는형님/아형고의 금연 홍보대사) Ace of Jokes (드립 에이스) Zoruzima Master (조르지마 전도사) | Ep. 1 – present | The craziest member of the cast, who is known for his blunt and straightforward comments, which he would try to tamp down when long-time acquaintances are guests of the program.[18][19] He is teased for entering the classroom while rubbing his hands and having "magnets" in his leg due to his car accident in 2006. He is also known as the anti-smoking ambassador, who used to smoke during his youth but quit to let others know the harmful effects of smoking, and was the first of the group to do so (He and Kang Ho Dong have quit smoking and Kim Young-Chul is a non-smoker). He becomes a transfer student (guest) when he is promoting with Super Junior. His weakest topic is sports, as shown in ep. 189, when he has no idea about baseball and marathon. His main theme songs are "Sorry, Sorry" and "Mr. Simple", both by his group Super Junior. |
| Min Kyung-hoon 민경훈 | Ssamja (쌈자) Min Ssamja (민쌈자) Ssamgu (쌈구) Youngest Brother (막내) 4D Brother (4차원 동생) Pervert (음란, 음란마귀) Trash (쓰레기, 쓰레기통) Jerry (제리) Slug (민달팽이) Kang Ho-dong Sniper (강호동 저격수) Homebody (집순이) Limbo King (림경훈) Bad Acting Boss (발연기甲) | Ep. 2 – present | The youngest member of the cast. He is sometimes referred to as Janghoon's son, and is known for his mature comments and risqué thoughts. His rebellious attitude toward Kang Ho-dong, the oldest member of the show, also garnered much public interest.[20] He is the vocalist of rock band Buzz and is often teased for his head voice and exaggerated use of vibrato. Known to be both the worst dancer among the brothers for his lack of bodily rhythm and the least knowledgeable when it comes to names in the entertainment business, it has been made an ongoing joke that a celebrity is only really famous if Kyung Hoon knows who he/she is. Many celebrities, specifically idols, therefore ask him if he knows who they are. He is also the most agile of the members because he trained in martial arts since elementary school. His main theme songs are from his group Buzz, usually "Thorn" (가시), "Coward" (겁쟁이), & "Reds Go Together"; and occasionally "Careless Whisper" by George Michael, and "Sweet Dream" (나비잠) by both Kyung-hoon and Hee-chul. |
| Lee Sang-min 이상민 | The sad one (안쓰러운 애) God of Music (음악의 신) Debtor (채무자, 빚쟁이) Good Wife, Wise Mother (현모양처) Kang Ho-dong's left-hand man (강호동의 왼팔) Roo'ra's Honorary Ambassador (룰라 홍보대사) Bachelor (총각) | Ep. 14 – present | He is often teased for his divorced status and infamously huge financial debt.[14][15] Due to this, he frequently gives honest advice towards young idol singers. He was a successful songwriter and record producer, specializing mostly in hip-hop and dance music, and he did have a muscular body because he managed to lose 22kg.[21] His nickname was given by Lee Soo-geun, which is an abbreviation of "his current situation is miserable", a reference to him being in debt (Korean: 현재 모양이 처량하다; RR: *hyeonjae moyang'i cheoryanghada*).[22] In 2018, after he finally paid off his debts, he was able to apply for a low-limit credit card for the first time in 13 years, and bought Iced Americano for the other members, as his credit rating went from Grade 10 (the worst) to Grade 6.[23]His main theme song is the ending song of the South Korean documentary program Screening Humanity; and occasionally "1997 Spring" from the 2001 Japanese film Calmi Cuori Appassionati, as well as "Cries and Whispers" from the 2003 South Korean film Oldboy. |
Former cast
| Name | Nickname(s) | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hwang Chi-yeul | Kang Ho-dong's rising right-hand man (강호동의 신흥 오른팔) | Ep. 1 – 6 (regular) Ep. 32, 80 (guest) | |
| Kim Se-hwang | Folding screen (병풍) | Ep. 1 – 7 | He is the lead guitarist of rock band N.EX.T. The show's production team referred to him as "one of the three biggest guitarists in Asia" during one episode.[24] It was his debut performance in an entertainment show.[25] |
Timeline
Guests with the most appearances
The program sometimes invited a guest over multiple episodes due to their popularity or memorable performance in an episode. For idol groups, a member could appear in an episode by themselves and appear in another episode as part of their respective group.
| Position | Name | No.of episodes | Episodes | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jang Sung-kyu | 54 | 11, 23, 33, 42, 44, 46, 53, 57, 59, 61, 66, 73, 74 76, 77, 81, 82, 85, 90, 94–96, 100, 106, 110-112, 114, 128, 130, 136, 138, 141-142, 144-145, 147, 149, 152-153, 155-156, 160, 162-163, 165, 167, 169-171, 173, 180, 193, 98 | Television personality and host, former JTBC news anchor[26] |
| 2 | Shindong (Super Junior) | 11 | 62, 100, 114-115, 118, 132, 134, 137, 139, 159-160 | Singer |
| 3 | Park Mi-sun | 9 | 10, 41-42, 60, 95-96, 115, 147, 165 | Comedian |
| 4 | Hong Jin-young | 8 | 17, 41-42, 60, 95-96, 114-115 | Singer |
| 5 | Jo Hye-ryun | 7 | 10, 41-42, 60, 95-96, 115 | Comedian |
List of episodes
- Series overview
| Year | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||
| 2015 | 4 | December 5, 2015 | December 26, 2015 | |
| 2016 | 52 | January 2, 2016 | December 24, 2016 | |
| 2017 | 52 | January 7, 2017 | December 30, 2017 | |
| 2018 | 52 | January 6, 2018 | December 29, 2018 | |
| 2019 | TBA | January 5, 2019 | TBA | |
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 each year.
2015
2016
| Ep. # | Broadcast date | Average audience share | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGB Nielsen[27] | TNmS Ratings[28] | |||
| Nationwide | Seoul Capital Area | Nationwide | ||
| 5 | January 2 | 1.169% | NR | 0.7% |
| 6 | January 9 | 1.149% | 0.9% | |
| 7 | January 16 | 1.359% | 1.2% | |
| 8 | January 23 | 1.915% | 1.6% | |
| 9 | January 30 | 1.344% | 1.2% | |
| 10 | February 6 | 1.708% | 1.2% | |
| 11 | February 13 | 1.855% | 1.4% | |
| 12 | February 20 | 1.601% | 1.6% | |
| 13 | February 27 | 1.717% | 1.7% | |
| 14 | March 5 | 1.432% | 1.2% | |
| 15 | March 12 | 1.477% | 1.1% | |
| 16 | March 19 | 1.542% | 1.4% | |
| 17 | March 26 | 1.679% | 1.6% | |
| 18 | April 2 | 1.518% | 1.3% | |
| 19 | April 9 | 1.474% | 1.3% | |
| 20 | April 16 | 1.155% | 1.6% | |
| 21 | April 23 | 1.327% | 1.8% | |
| 22 | April 30 | 1.632% | 1.7% | |
| 23 | May 7 | 2.209% | 2.579% | 1.9% |
| 24 | May 14 | 1.899% | 2.172% | 2.4% |
| 25 | May 21 | 1.917% | NR | 2.0% |
| 26 | May 28 | 1.927% | 2.0% | |
| 27 | June 4 | 2.656% | 2.788% | 2.3% |
| 28 | June 11 | 1.952% | NR | 2.1% |
| 29 | June 18 | 2.152% | 2.3% | |
| 30 | June 25 | 2.909% | 3.366% | 2.6% |
| 31 | July 2 | 3.064% | 3.425% | 2.5% |
| 32 | July 9 | 3.090% | 3.353% | 2.6% |
| 33 | July 16 | 3.728% | 4.605% | 3.2% |
| 34 | July 23 | 2.368% | 2.725% | 2.2% |
| 35 | July 30 | 3.399% | 3.807% | 3.1% |
| 36 | August 6 | 2.830% | 2.989% | 3.5% |
| 37 | August 13 | 3.099% | 3.226% | 3.5% |
| 38 | August 20 | 2.991% | 3.599% | 2.8% |
| 39 | August 27 | 2.434% | NR | 3.0% |
| 40 | September 3 | 2.890% | 3.265% | 3.5% |
| 41 | September 10 | 2.971% | 3.315% | 3.4% |
| 42 | September 17 | 2.375% | NR | 2.8% |
| 43 | September 24 | 2.597% | 2.758% | 3.1% |
| 44 | October 1 | 2.249% | 2.201% | 2.7% |
| 45 | October 8 | 3.879% | 4.085% | 4.3% |
| 46 | October 15 | 2.967% | 2.956% | 3.7% |
| 47 | October 22 | 3.107% | 3.243% | 3.6% |
| 48 | October 29 | 3.509% | 3.298% | 3.5% |
| 49 | November 5 | 3.338% | 3.864% | 4.5% |
| 50 | November 12 | 3.624% | NR | 4.3% |
| 51 | November 19 | 2.178% | 2.6% | |
| 52 | November 26 | 2.960% | 4.2% | |
| 53 | December 3 | 3.453% | 3.598% | 4.3% |
| 54 | December 10 | 3.242% | 3.311% | 3.7% |
| 55 | December 17 | 3.779% | 4.004% | 4.0% |
| 56 | December 24 | 2.870% | NR | 3.6% |
2017
| Ep. # | Broadcast date | Average audience share | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGB Nielsen[27] | TNmS Ratings[28] | |||
| Nationwide | Seoul Capital Area | Nationwide | ||
| 57 | January 7 | 4.153% | 4.341% | 3.9% |
| 58 | January 14 | 4.800% | 4.931% | 6.1% |
| 59 | January 21 | 3.034% | 2.824% | 4.0% |
| 60 | January 28 | 3.349% | 3.151% | 3.5% |
| 61 | February 4 | 3.877% | 4.114% | 3.8% |
| 62 | February 11 | 4.246% | 4.095% | 4.4% |
| 63 | February 18 | 4.172% | 3.805% | 4.2% |
| 64 | February 25 | 3.921% | 4.359% | 4.1% |
| 65 | March 4 | 4.195% | 3.956% | 4.7% |
| 66 | March 11 | 5.333% | 5.289% | 5.6% |
| 67 | March 18 | 4.102% | 3.585% | 5.7% |
| 68 | March 25 | 4.435% | 4.322% | 5.8% |
| 69 | April 1 | 5.609% | 5.597% | 6.1% |
| 70 | April 8 | 4.328% | 3.981% | 5.2% |
| 71 | April 15 | 4.453% | 3.495% | 5.7% |
| 72 | April 22 | 5.915% | 5.557% | 6.1% |
| 73 | April 29 | 5.280% | 5.442% | 5.6% |
| 74 | May 6 | 5.307% | 5.247% | 6.1% |
| 75 | May 13 | 6.990% | 7.659% | 7.6% |
| 76 | May 20 | 4.832% | 4.564% | 5.4% |
| 77 | May 27 | 4.901% | 5.331% | 5.0% |
| 78 | June 3 | 4.303% | 4.051% | 5.9% |
| 79 | June 10 | 5.188% | 5.238% | 5.1% |
| 80 | June 17 | 4.150% | 3.774% | 4.9% |
| 81 | June 24 | 5.449% | 5.456% | 5.6% |
| 82 | July 1 | 4.618% | 5.065% | 5.4% |
| 83 | July 8 | 4.605% | 4.511% | 5.7% |
| 84 | July 15 | 4.414% | 4.851% | 5.6% |
| 85 | July 22 | 4.466% | 4.399% | 6.0% |
| 86 | July 29 | 5.218% | 4.879% | 5.5% |
| 87 | August 5 | 4.693% | 4.285% | 5.8% |
| 88 | August 12 | 6.071% | 5.832% | 6.7% |
| 89 | August 19 | 4.905% | 4.567% | 5.2% |
| 90 | August 26 | 5.065% | 4.949% | 5.9% |
| 91 | September 2 | 5.282% | 5.438% | 5.9% |
| 92 | September 9 | 4.654% | 4.831% | 5.4% |
| 93 | September 16 | 4.040% | 4.089% | 4.3% |
| 94 | September 23 | 4.414% | 4.041% | 5.2% |
| 95 | September 30 | 5.088% | 4.924% | 5.2% |
| 96 | October 7 | 4.824% | 4.600% | 4.7% |
| 97 | October 14 | 4.456% | 4.608% | 4.8% |
| 98 | October 21 | 5.688% | 5.370% | 6.6% |
| 99 | October 28 | 5.573% | 6.009% | 6.4% |
| 100 | November 4 | 5.383% | 5.438% | 6.4% |
| 101 | November 11 | 6.106% | 5.935% | 7.7% |
| 102 | November 18 | 6.498% | 6.359% | 6.7% |
| 103 | November 25 | 5.259% | 5.392% | 7.1% |
| 104 | December 2 | 5.933% | 6.244% | 6.8% |
| 105 | December 9 | 6.059% | 6.059% | 5.7% |
| 106 | December 16 | 5.689% | 5.351% | 6.7% |
| 107 | December 23 | 5.379% | 5.289% | 4.7% |
| 108 | December 30 | 4.082% | 4.251% | 4.3% |
2018
| Ep. # | Broadcast date | Average audience share | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGB Nielsen[27] | TNmS Ratings[28] | |||
| Nationwide | Seoul Capital Area | Nationwide | ||
| 109 | January 6 | 6.278% | 6.490% | 6.1% |
| 110 | January 13 | 5.572% | 5.333% | 6.1% |
| 111 | January 20 | 5.510% | 5.922% | 5.4% |
| 112 | January 27 | 5.822% | 5.832% | 6.8% |
| 113 | February 3 | 4.909% | 5.159% | 5.5% |
| 114 | February 10 | 3.670% | 3.819% | 3.6% |
| 115 | February 17 | 2.851% | 2.570% | 3.5% |
| 116 | February 24 | 2.711% | 2.911% | 2.5% |
| 117 | March 3 | 4.630% | 4.748% | 6.2% |
| 118 | March 10 | 5.658% | 6.078% | 5.8% |
| 119 | March 17 | 4.246% | 4.266% | 4.7% |
| 120 | March 24 | 5.566% | 5.942% | 6.3% |
| 121 | March 31 | 5.354% | 5.648% | 6.4% |
| 122 | April 7 | 5.306% | 5.330% | 5.6% |
| 123 | April 14 | 6.105% | 6.794% | 7.2% |
| 124 | April 21 | 6.224% | 6.653% | 6.5% |
| 125 | April 28 | 4.619% | 4.939% | 5.8% |
| 126 | May 5 | 4.981% | 5.090% | 5.9% |
| 127 | May 12 | 5.434% | 5.866% | 6.1% |
| 128 | May 19 | 5.449% | 6.117% | 5.9% |
| 129 | May 26 | 6.158% | 6.747% | 6.0% |
| 130 | June 2 | 5.204% | 4.712% | NR |
| 131 | June 9 | 5.648% | 5.858% | |
| 132 | June 16 | 4.571% | 5.217% | |
| 133 | June 23 | 5.961% | 6.170% | |
| 134 | June 30 | 5.710% | 5.097% | |
| 135 | July 7 | 5.145% | 5.649% | |
| 136 | July 14 | 4.496% | 4.758% | |
| 137 | July 21 | 4.237% | 4.107% | |
| 138 | July 28 | 4.670% | 4.545% | |
| 139 | August 4 | 4.602% | 4.415% | |
| 140 | August 11 | 5.135% | 5.373% | |
| 141 | August 18 | 4.527% | 4.719% | |
| 142 | August 25 | 4.995% | 5.163% | |
| 143 | September 1 | 2.092% | 1.892% | |
| 144 | September 8 | 4.179% | 4.150% | |
| 145 | September 15 | 3.620% | 3.559% | |
| 146 | September 22 | 5.786% | 5.212% | |
| 147 | September 29 | 4.703% | 4.352% | |
| 148 | October 6 | 5.510% | 5.594% | |
| 149 | October 13 | 5.499% | 5.896% | |
| 150 | October 20 | 6.376% | 6.860% | |
| 151 | October 27 | 5.934% | 6.744% | |
| 152 | November 3 | 5.928% | 6.315% | |
| 153 | November 10 | 5.614% | 6.420% | |
| 154 | November 17 | 6.473% | 6.920% | |
| 155 | November 24 | 5.974% | 5.968% | |
| 156 | December 1 | 4.381% | 4.124% | |
| 157 | December 8 | 5.207% | 4.966% | |
| 158 | December 15 | 4.952% | 5.326% | |
| 159 | December 22 | 5.086% | 5.295% | |
| 160 | December 29 | 4.202% | 4.047% | |
2019
| Ep. # | Broadcast date | Average audience share | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGB Nielsen[27] | ||||
| Nationwide | Seoul Capital Area | |||
| 161 | January 5 | 6.679% | 6.908% | |
| 162 | January 12 | 6.441% | 6.196% | |
| 163 | January 19 | 6.257% | 6.498% | |
| 164 | January 26 | 6.767% | 7.009% | |
| 165 | February 2 | 6.127% | 5.991% | |
| 166 | February 9 | 9.585% | 10.551% | |
| 167 | February 16 | 6.047% | 6.322% | |
| 168 | February 23 | 6.541% | 6.776% | |
| 169 | March 2 | 5.399% | 5.745% | |
| 170 | March 9 | 5.096% | 5.258% | |
| 171 | March 16 | 5.688% | 6.049% | |
| 172 | March 23 | 5.756% | 6.395% | |
| 173 | March 30 | 4.903% | 5.179% | |
| 174 | April 6 | 4.151% | 4.302% | |
| 175 | April 13 | 5.056% | 5.222% | |
| 176 | April 20 | 3.924% | 4.163% | |
| 177 | April 27 | 4.428% | 4.883% | |
| 178 | May 4 | 4.405% | 4.108% | |
| 179 | May 11 | 5.846% | 6.624% | |
| 180 | May 18 | 4.676% | 4.735% | |
| 181 | May 25 | 5.224% | 5.520% | |
| 182 | June 1 | 5.532% | 6.051% | |
| 183 | June 8 | 5.972% | 6.445% | |
| 184 | June 15 | 5.279% | 5.308% | |
| 185 | June 22 | 6.675% | 6.608% | |
| 186 | June 29 | 7.231% | 7.599% | |
| 187 | July 6 | 5.804% | 5.750% | |
| 188 | July 13 | 4.308% | 4.742% | |
| 189 | July 20 | 5.735% | 5.791% | |
| 190 | July 27 | 5.696% | 6.064% | |
| 191 | August 3 | 4.580% | 4.888% | |
| 192 | August 10 | 3.726% | 3.727% | |
| 193 | August 17 | 4.332% | 4.390% | |
| 194 | August 24 | 5.072% | 5.525% | |
| 195 | August 31 | 3.973% | 3.962% | |
| 196 | September 7 | 4.413% | 5.084% | |
| 197 | September 21 | 5.517% | 5.611% | |
| 198 | September 28 | % | % | |
Other works
Discography
| Year | Title | Peak chart pos. | Sales | Album details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR
Gaon [29] | KOR Hot [30] | ||||
| 2016 | "Sweet Dream" (Kim Hee-chul, Min Kyung-hoon) | 1 |
|
| |
| 2018 | "Falling Blossoms" (Kim Hee-chul, Min Kyung-hoon) | 15 | 14 | N/A |
|
| "Andenayon" (Kim Young-chul feat. Wheesung) | 85 | 74 |
| ||
| "I Kicked My Luck Off" (Kang Ho-dong, Hong Jin-young) | 100 | 88 |
| ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region. "*" denotes the chart did not exist at that time. Gaon Chart no longer releases download sales figures from January 2018 onwards. | |||||
Other appearances
| Years | Title | Network | Member(s) | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Fantastic Duo | SBS | All | Cameo (episode 16) | [32] |
| 2017 | My Little Old Boy | All (except Kang Ho-dong) | Cameo (episode 50) |
Controversy
Disciplinary action
In December 2016, the program received a disciplinary action from South Korea's Broadcast Censorship Committee for using improper remarks which include objectifying female guests in multiple occasions. The committee highlighted the use of improper language between cast members, the use of homophobic remarks and specifically Min Kyung-hoon's act of giving a handcrafted bra to a female guest (Jeon So-min) in one of the episodes. Besides a warning given by the committee, it is reported that the program has also received numerous complaints from viewers regarding the matter.[33]
Awards and nominations
Knowing Bros has been nominated for 18 awards, winning 9.
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Korea First Brand Awards | Korea's Brand of the Year | Knowing Bros | Won | [34] |
| 5th JTBC Awards (Determined through viewers votes) | Best Entertainer | Kang Ho-dong | Nominated | [35] | |
| Lee Soo-geun | Nominated | ||||
| Kim Hee-chul | Won | ||||
| Best Couple Award | Kim Hee-chul & Min Kyung-hoon | Won | |||
| Kang Ho-dong & Lee Soo-geun | Nominated | ||||
| Best PD | Choi Chang-soo | Won | |||
| Top 3 Program | Knowing Bros | 2nd | |||
| 2017 | 6th Gaon Chart Music Awards | Song of the Year (November) | "Sweet Dream" | Nominated | [36] |
| 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Entertainment Program | Knowing Bros | Nominated | [37] | |
| 9th Melon Music Awards | Best Rock Song | "Sweet Dream" | Won | [38] | |
| 2018 | 54th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Variety Performer – Male | Seo Jang-hoon | Won | [39] |
| Lee Sang-min | Nominated | [40] | |||
| 10th Melon Music Awards | Best Rock Song | "Falling Blossoms" | Won | [41][42] | |
| Best Trot Song | "Andenayon" | Nominated | [43] | ||
| "I Kicked My Luck Off" | Nominated | ||||
| 2019 | 23rd Asian Television Awards | Best Comedy Program | Knowing Bros | Won | [44] |
| 8th Gaon Chart Music Awards | Song of the Year(February) | "Falling Blossoms" | Nominated | [45] |