Top Gear Korea

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox television | image = XTMTopGearKorea.jpg | image_alt = | caption = Title card | genre = [[Driving|Motoring]] | based_on = | director = Seo Seung-han | presenter = [[Kim Jin-pyo (musician)|Kim Jin-pyo]] (2011–) [[Yeon Jung-hoon]] (2011–2012) [[Kim Kap-soo]] (2011) [[Jo Min-ki]] (2012) [[Park Jun-gyu]] (2012) [[Ryu Si-won]] (2013) [[Danny Ahn]] (2013–2014) [[Alex Chu]] (2013–2014) [[Yoo Kyung-wook]] (2014–2015) [[Ahn Jung-hwan]] (2016–) [[Hong Jong-hyun]] (2016–) [[Park Young-woong]] (2016–) "[[The Stig]]" (Woo Young Wooyi) | open_theme = "[[Jessica (instrumental)|Jessica]]" | end_theme = "Jessica" | composer = [[Dickey Betts]] | country = South Korea United Kingdom | language = Korean | num_series = 7 | num_episodes = 71 | list_episodes = | executive_producer = | producer = | camera = | runtime = 60 minutes | company = [[CJ E&M]] [[BBC]] | network = XTM, [[TVN (South Korea)|TVN]] | first_aired = {{start date|df=yes|2011|08|20|}} | last_aired = present | related = ''[[Top Gear (2002 TV series)]]'' ''[[Top Gear (American TV series)|Top Gear (USA)]]'' ''[[Top Gear Australia]]'' ''[[Top Gear Russia]]'' }}

'''''Top Gear Korea''''' ({{korean|탑 기어 코리아}}) is the South Korean adaptation of BBC's popular ''[[Top Gear (2002 TV series)|Top Gear]]'' show. Officially announced on 21 June 2011, the show follows a similar format with the British version and season 1 included 3 presenters: singer and professional driver [[Kim Jin-pyo (musician)|Kim Jin-pyo]], actor [[Yeon Jung-hoon]]), and actor [[Kim Kap-soo]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Joseph|first=Noah|url=https://www.autoblog.com/news/top-gear-global-conquest-continues-with-south-korean-seri|title=Top Gear global conquest continues with South Korean series|website=[[Autoblog.com]]|date=24 June 2011|access-date=2012-02-16|archive-date=4 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120104020246/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/24/top-gear-global-conquest-continues-with-south-korean-seri/|url-status=live}}</ref> It premiered on cable channel XTM on 20 August 2011.

The show uses a circuit in [[Ansan]], which is not used for racing but just for tests and social events, as the main test facility and Power Lap Time. It was built for [[Champ Car]] event that was cancelled less than three weeks before it was to be held. [[Korea International Circuit]], the venue of the [[Korean Grand Prix]] and Taebaek Racing Park are used for some episodes.

==History== The first season aired from 20 August – 30 December 2011.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wicks|first=Kevin|url=http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2011/08/top-gear-thursday-top-gear-korea-launches-my-little-pony-mashup-goes-viral/|title=Top Gear Thursday: 'Top Gear Korea' Launches, ''My Little Pony'' Mashup Goes Viral | Anglophenia|work=[[BBC America]]|date=25 August 2011|accessdate=2012-02-16|archive-date=15 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615210526/http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2011/08/top-gear-thursday-top-gear-korea-launches-my-little-pony-mashup-goes-viral/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Met with both positive and negative reviews, the show had a peak viewership rating of 1.28%, considered to be quite good for Korean cable.<ref>{{cite web|last=Shin|first=Jieun|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/korearealtime/2011/08/23/top-gear-motors-into-korea/|title=South Korea's version of the hit U.K. TV series Top Gear debuted at the weekend|work=[[WSJ]] Blog|date=23 August 2011|accessdate=2012-02-16|archive-date=25 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325084845/http://blogs.wsj.com/korearealtime/2011/08/23/top-gear-motors-into-korea/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Presenters and The Stig of Top Gear Korea Season 2 from acrofan cropped.jpg|thumb|Presenters and The Stig of Top Gear Korea Season 2.]] The second season aired from 8 April 2012 to 17 June 2012. Kim Kap-soo was replaced by actor [[Jo Min-ki]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Hea|first=Jung-min|title=Yeon Jeong Hun Reveals Top Gear Korea is Stronger Than Ever|url=http://enewsworld.mnet.com/enews/contents.asp?idx=5184|work=enewsWorld|accessdate=2012-12-28|date=5 April 2012|publisher=CJ E&M|archive-date=11 January 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130111063300/http://enewsworld.mnet.com/enews/contents.asp?idx=5184|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Oh|first=Mi-jung|title=''Top Gear Korea'' Holds a Luxurious Drag Race Worth 1,500,000,000 Won|url=http://enewsworld.mnet.com/enews/contents.asp?idx=6316|work=enewsWorld|accessdate=2012-12-28|date=6 May 2012|publisher=CJ E&M|archive-date=29 January 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130129003830/http://enewsworld.mnet.com/enews/contents.asp?idx=6316|url-status=live}}</ref>

The third season (titled ''Top Gear Korea New Season'') aired from 7 October – 16 December 2012. Jo Min-ki was replaced by actor [[Park Jun-gyu]]. In one of the episodes, presenter Kim Jin-pyo drove a [[Chevrolet Spark]] through a 360-degree vertical loop.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kim|first=Tae-jong|title=Man in fast lane: Kim Jin-pyo aims to add Korean flair to the show|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2013/03/388_132422.html|access-date=2013-03-21|newspaper=[[The Korea Times]]|date=20 March 2013|archive-date=14 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241214063248/https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2013/03/388_132422.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

A serious incident occurred during filming of the fourth season, in which a helicopter crashed into the [[Arizona]] desert. As part of a racing sequence between a [[Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1]] and a [[Bell AH-1 Cobra]] helicopter, the car and the helicopter would race alongside each other to the finish line. During a practice run, as they reached the finish line, the aircraft wheeled around 180° before impacting the ground. Nobody was seriously injured.<ref name=NTSB>{{cite web|title=WPR12LA107 – General Aviation Accident Report|url=https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/ReportGeneratorFile.ashx?EventID=20120217X34147&AKey=1&RType=Final&IType=LA|work=[[NTSB]]|accessdate=2020-05-16|archive-date=1 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201212244/https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/ReportGeneratorFile.ashx?EventID=20120217X34147&AKey=1&RType=Final&IType=LA|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Miersma|first=Seyth|title=Helicopter crashes on Top Gear Korea set while chasing Corvette ZR1|url=http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/11/helicopter-crashes-on-top-gear-korea-set-while-chasing-co/|work=[[Autoblog.com]]|date=11 February 2013|accessdate=2013-02-12|archive-date=13 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130213120715/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/11/helicopter-crashes-on-top-gear-korea-set-while-chasing-co/|url-status=live}}</ref> The BBC posted the video online, both in its unaltered state and open-captioned in English, the show is part of their franchise and is co-produced by the company.

==Guests== Guests are featured each week in the ''Star Lap Time'' segment, akin to [[Star in a Reasonably Priced Car]]. The car driven in this segment is the [[Volkswagen Golf]].

===Season 1===

{| class="wikitable" |- style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;" ! Celebrities ! Notes |- | [[Kim Soo-ro]] || Kim Su-ro's timing was 2:07.06. He was the first celebrity to be featured in this segment. |- | [[Kim Ok-vin]] || Kim Ok-bin's timing was 2:00.56. |- | [[2AM (band)|2AM]]'s [[Jo Kwon]] and [[Im Seulong|Seulong]] || Jo Kwon's timing was 2:08.36, while Seulong's timing was 2:04.56. |- | [[Alex Chu|Alex]] || |- | [[H.O.T]]'s [[Tony An]] and [[Moon Hee-jun]] || Tony's timing was 2:01.16, while Moon Hee-jun's timing was 1:58.93. |- | [[Ahn Jae-mo]] || Ahn Jae-mo's timing was 1:57.00. |- | Lee Won-jong || Lee Won-jong's timing was 2:01.96. |- | [[Boom (entertainer)|Boom]] || Boom's timing was 1:59.83. |- | [[Kim Min-jun (actor)|Kim Min-jun]] || |- | Lee Se-chang || Lee Se-chang's timing was 1:57.83. |- | [[Haha (entertainer)|Haha]] || Haha's timing was 2:00.53. |- | [[Huh Gak]] || Huh Gak's timing was 2:01.16. |}

===Season 2===

{| class="wikitable" |- style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;" ! Episode ! Celebrities ! Notes |- | Episode 1 || [[Lee Sung-jae]] || Lee Sung-jae's timing was 2:02.15. |- | Episode 2 || [[Song Seon-mi]] || |- | Episode 3 || [[Koyote]]'s [[Shin Ji|Shinji]] and [[Koyote#Bbaek Ga|Bbaeka]] || Bbaeka's timing was 2:03.02. |- | Episode 4 || [[Ryu Soo-young]] || |- | Episode 5 || [[g.o.d (South Korean band)|g.o.d]]'s [[Danny Ahn]] || Danny's timing was 1.58.07. |- | Episode 6 || [[4Minute]]'s [[Kim Hyun-a]] and [[Heo Ga-yoon]] || Ga-yoon's timing of 2:00.15 makes her the fastest female celebrity on the show for Seasons 1 – 3. |- | Episode 7 || [[g.o.d (South Korean band)|g.o.d]]'s [[Son Hoyoung|Son Ho-young]] || Son Ho-young's timing was 1:57.06. |- | Episode 8 || [[Lee Chun-hee]] || Lee Chun-hee's timing was 1:59.05. |- | Episode 9 || [[Park Jun-gyu]] || Park Jun-gyu's timing was 1:59.11. |- | Episode 10 || [[SISTAR]]'s [[Yoon Bora|Bora]] || Bora's fellow group member [[Dasom]] appeared on the show but did not drive.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ho|first=Stewart|title=SISTAR's Bora Gets Her Driving Assessed on ''Top Gear Korea 2''|url=http://enewsworld.mnet.com/enews/contents.asp?idx=7980|accessdate=10 January 2013|newspaper=enewsWorld|date=14 June 2012|agency=CJ E&M}}</ref> |}

===Season 3===

{| class="wikitable" |- style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;" ! Episode ! Celebrities ! Notes |- | Episode 1 || [[Yoo Seung-ho]] || Yoo Seung-ho's timing of 1:58.20 made him the fastest driver of season 3. |- | Episode 2 || [[Choi Yeo-jin]] || Choi Yeo-jin's timing was 2:01.24. |- | Episode 3 || Kim Hee-won || |- | Episode 4 || Park Eun-ji || Park Eun-ji's timing was 2:13.13. |- | Episode 6 || Kim Jung-tae || Kim Jung-tae's timing was 2:01.28. |- | Episode 7 || [[Kim So-eun]] || Kim So-eun's timing of 2:01.19 made her the 3rd fastest female participant, after Heo Ga-yoon and Kim Ok-bin. |- | Episode 9 || [[Jeong Jun-ha|Jung Jun-ha]] || |}

===Season 4=== {| class="wikitable" |- style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;" ! Episode ! Celebrities ! Notes |- | Episode 1 || [[Kim Min-jong]] || Kim Min-jong's timing was 2:01.22. |- | Episode 2 || [[Park Shin-hye]] || Park Shin-hye's timing was 2:00.14. |- | Episode 5 || [[Lee Jung]] || Lee Jung's timing was 1:55.25. |- |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * http://program.tving.com/xtm/topgearkorea

[[Category:Top Gear (TV franchise)|Korea]] [[Category:South Korean variety television shows]] [[Category:South Korean television series based on British television series]] [[Category:Korean-language television shows]] [[Category:2011 South Korean television series debuts]]