Made in Korea review: An ambitious experiment, but does it pay off?

Enter Blaise, Dexter, James, Olly and Reese. Shown very briefly in the first episode, the boys auditioned in a nationwide search for the UK's next big boyband and soon, they were saying goodbye to their families and jetting off to South Korea.

The boys and viewers alike are thrown immediately into the action as they begin learning a new song and choreography to perform to the undisputed K-pop expert, Hee Jun Yoon.

If there is one thing that will stay with you throughout the episode and beyond the season, it's the song Can You Feel the Vibe?. The boys are drilled in learning the right tones and dance moves to impress Hee Jun – but spoiler alert, she isn't.

It's clear Hee Jun means business and, as described in the series, she is the best of the best and will ensure the boys reach their potential, even if it means giving them some harsh home truths.

While Hee Jun is spoken about in the highest regard, often instilling the fear in the boys before they've even met her, she isn't introduced until the last few scenes of the episode.

"I understand that I might come across as overly strict and harsh on the show," Hee Jun said in a new interview.

"However, how I am perceived is not what truly matters. Our artists often mention that performing in front of me is more nerve-wracking than any major stage. My role is to help them prepare for these upcoming events.

"When they step out into the real world, they will face even stricter and more demanding situations. Therefore, you can think of my approach as helping them build their resilience."

And it's clear Hee Jun is what the boys need. Each of the band members, while having backgrounds in musical theatre, dancing and performing, they have never experienced being in a band - especially not one of this level.

From a viewer's perspective, the boys are all giving what they've got into the performances, but some find it difficult to pick up the choreography while others struggle to match the pitch that the song desires. But it's clear they all have the passion and talent to pull it off.

Beyond watching the boys train and perform, Made in Korea does a good job at informing audiences of the history behind K-pop and the idols that are adored by fans worldwide.

It is no secret how much of an influence is K-pop has been on popular culture, and within the music industry, over the years, and the series offers an insight into the industry's rise to the top and the training the idols must go through, which makes what the boys are going through seem like a walk in the park.

As the first series of its kind, Made in Korea excels in showing the journeys of the boys throughout their training and how they are able to adapt to different styles in music and dance, however it does fall short in explaining how the boys got to where they are.

While it features testimonials from the boys, giving an insight into their childhood and their dreams of becoming performers, not much is shown as to how or why each was picked to be a member.

Beyond a few clips of the audition process, viewers don't get the chance to see how they undoubtedly blew away the judges, which would've offered a further insight into their skill sets. However, this shouldn't be a deterrent, as their musical and dancing skills are at the forefront of the training days.

Viewers will have to stay tuned to see if the boys manage to make it to the global stage, but credit should be given to them for going head-first into a brand new world they've never experienced.

So whether you're a K-pop fan or simply a casual viewer looking for something new, Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience will certainly impress you.

Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience airs on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 17th August at 5:15pm.

Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.