Korean Real Variety Programs Analyzed through Bergson’s Concept of “Mechanical Inelasticity” - Focus on the ‘Running Man’ Franchise

The goal of this paper is to explore methods of interpreting Korean real variety programs from the perspective of laughter theory. This research is grounded in Henri Bergson's concept of "mechanical inelasticity" as presented in his work "Laughter." This concept posits that mechanical elements added to the living provoke laughter and explores the principles underlying the comedic laughter, rather than the physiological smile that may arises when one is tickled by another. The findings reveal similarity between Bergson's philosophy of laughter and the principles of humor elicitation found in Korean real variety programs. It was observed that the game structures of these programs aim to disrupt the elegance of the participants, inducing physical rigidity. Furthermore, four core elements of "mechanical inelasticity"— rigidity, automatism, absent-mindedness, and unsociability—are manifested in the characters of the participants. This qualitative study examines the structure and form of these programs based on the aforementioned four core elements, with a detailed analysis of the longest-running real variety program, Running Man. Consequently, this research contributes a new perspective to the study of Korean real variety programs by demonstrating their alignment with Bergson's laughter theory.