Great Escape () is a South Korean reality show that premiered on tvN on 1 July 2018. The show features large-scale themed escape rooms, with a team of celebrities finding clues and solving puzzles in order to successfully escape.
The show ran for 4 seasons, featuring the same cast and airing every Sunday at 10:40pm (KST).
Season 1: 1 July to 23 September 2018 Season 2: 17 March to 9 June 2019 Season 3: 1 March to 14 June 2020 Season 4: 11 July to 3 October 2021 The show's slogan is "나가야산다", literally meaning 'escape to survive'.
Overview Season 1 Each escape challenge has a different theme, and members uncover the storyline by discovering clues as they progress through different areas of the large-scale escape room. New areas are unlocked by finding and solving puzzles or accomplishing tasks, eventually leading the members to the final exit. In addition, members may have to interact with NPCs and/or assist them in order to proceed further. No time limit is stipulated for each challenge, which ends only when all members, and NPCs if any, successfully escape.
The escape locations are kept unknown to the members at the start of each challenge. They are transported there in a bus with blackout windows, and blindfolded before being escorted to the starting point.
Beginning with the second challenge, a team captain (주장 jujang) is assigned before the members arrive at the escape location, based on the best-performing member in the previous challenge.
Season 2 Rule changes introduced include:
Possibility of failure to escape (e.g. if a critical task is failed), with the challenge ending immediately Possibility of individual elimination during the challenge (e.g. if they "die" or go "missing" in the storyline), with the surviving member(s) continuing without the eliminated member(s) Removal of captain () assignment
Season 3 There is no change in the rules from season 2. Between 12 and 26 April 2020, no new episodes were aired as filming of the show was postponed due to COVID-19.
Season 4 With the tagline of "Post-Earth adventure" (), this season introduced the concept of the DTCU, or Great Escape Universe. This universe contains several running storylines and world settings that string together multiple escape challenges across the four seasons.
Season 5 (The Story) Kim Jong-min, Shindong, and P.O were replaced by Go Kyung-pyo, Baekhyun, and Yeo Jin-goo.
Cast Main Cast Name SeasonsKang Ho-dong1-PresentKim Dong-hyunYoo Byung-jaeKim Jong-min (Koyote)1-4Shindong (Super Junior)P.O (Block B)Go Kyung-pyo5-PresentBaekhyun (Exo)Yeo Jin-goo
Guests Name Episode NotesSeason 1, Episode 6Jang Dong-minSeason 1, Episode 9-10Season 2, Episode 5-6Moon Se-yoon (Peppertones)Season 2, Episode 11-12Kim Ji-seokHa Seok-jinSeason 2, Episode 11-12Season 3, Episode 12
Episodes Season 1
Episode # Challenge #Original airdate Theme Content Leader/Captain()11 July 2018Team MeetingMembers meet in advance and are interviewed individuallyNone1Private Gambling Hall()1. Warehouse ()2. Secret Room ()3. President's Room ()4. CCTV Room (CCTV롬)28 July 20185. VIP Game Room (VIP 게임룸)6. Pawnshop ()7. Large Game Room ()8. Security Conveyor ()3215 July 2018Abandoned Hospital()1. Hospital Room ()2. Second Floor Corridor (2층 복도)3. Restaurant ()4. Director's Office ()Shindong422 July 20184. Director's Office ()5. Secret Room ()6. First Floor Lobby (1층 로비)7. Security Room ()8. First Laboratory ()9. Secret Laboratory ()10. Temptation of Recorder ()5329 July 2018Korea Genome Bank()1. Waiting Room ()2. Zone A (A구역)3. Zone B (B구역)4. Analytical Room ()5. Zone D (D구역)6. DNA Storage (DNA 저장소)Kang Ho-dong65 August 20187. Zone E (E구역)8. Zone C (C구역)4Evil Prison ()1. Third Floor (3층)Kim Dong-hyun712 August 20181. Third Floor (3층)2. Second Floor (2층)819 August 20182. Second Floor (2층) on the Third Floor3. First Floor (1층)9526 August 2018Bunker()1. Living Space ()2. Theatre ()3. Garden Field ()4. Grocery Store ()5. Treatment Room ()Kang Ho-dong102 September 20185. Treatment Room ()6. Arcade Room ()7. Mother Room ()8. Security room ()1169 September 2018Taeyang Girls' High School()1. Classroom 2-1 ()2. Consultation Room ()3. Infirmary Room ()4. Library ()5. Secret Den ()Yoo Byung-Jae1216 September 20186. 1st Floor Corridor (1층 복도)7. Changing Room ()8. Sacrificial Waiting Room ()9. Preparation Room ()10. Follower Dormitory ()11. Secret Laboratory ()12. Temple ()13. Secret Den ()14. Rooftop ()13Special Episode23 September 2018Review of Season 1
Season 2
Episode # Challenge #Original airdate Scene Content117 March 2019Team meal meetingMembers meet in advance and are briefed on the new challenge format1Mirae University()1. Gym ()2. Gym Corridor ()3.1 Conference Room ()3.2 Branch Manager's room ()3.3 Cafeteria ()3.4 Hangar (Upper) (격납고 ((上))224 March 20193.4 Hangar (Upper) (격납고 ((上))3.5 Security Room ()3.6 Storeroom ()3.7 Control Room (Upper) 통제실(上)3.8 Language Lab ()3.9 Black Tower ()3231 March 2019Buam-dong Residence()1. Hoehyun-dong parking lot ()Kim Jong-min and P.O:2. Hoehyun-dong prison cell ()Kang Ho-dong, Shindong, Yoo Byeong-jae and Kim Dong-hyun:3. Travelling by car ()4. Front Door ()5. Garden ()6. 1st floor (1층)47 April 2019Kim Jong-min and P.O:2. Hoehyun-dong prison cell ()Kang Ho-dong, Shindong, Yoo Byeong-jae and Kim Dong-hyun:6. 2nd floor (2층)7. Basement ()8. Miri's Room ()9. Laboratory ()10. On the way back to Hoehyun-dong ()5314 April 2019Mugan Prison()1. Escort ()2. Entrance ()3. New Prisoner Waiting Room ()4. Block 13 ()5. Room 4 (4번 방)6. Room 5 (5번 방)7. Detention Block 13 ()8. Exercise Yard ()621 April 20198. Exercise Yard ()9. Reception Room ()10. Laundry Room ()11. Warden's Office ()12. Lights Out ()Special appearances: , Moon Se-yoon7428 April 2019Hope Research Laboratory ()1. Deserted Refrigerated Warehouse ()2. Kitchen Storage ()3. Kitchen ()4. Cafeteria ()5. Officer's Barrack ()6. Laboratory ()85 May 20196. Laboratory ()7. Isolation Room ()8. Control Room ()9. Pantry ()9512 May 2019St. Matthew Jo's Psychiatric Hospital()1. Admission ()2. Room 601 (601호)3. Room 603 (603호)4. Room 605 (605호)5. Doctor Rounds ()6. Break Room ()7. Taking Medication ()8. Nurse Office ()9. Basement ()10. 5th Floor (5층 병동)1019 May 201911. Room 503 (503호)12. Director's Office ()13. Locked Room ()14. Special Treatment Unit ()15. Broken Elevator ()16. Elevator ()11626 May 2019Murder Prison()1. Prison Cell ()2a. Corridor ()3. Workroom ()4. Storage Room ()5. Secret Room ()122 June 20196. 29 June Paju (6월29일 파주)7. Room 306 (306호)8a. Corridor ()9a. Workroom ()10. Room 304 (304호)9b. Workroom ()11. Storage Room ()8b. Corridor ()11. NO HIT NO RUN8c. Corridor ()2b. Corridor ()12. Room 304 (304호)13. Room of 1984 (1984년의 방)14. (20개의 숫자)15. Last Door ()Special appearances: (Peppertones), Kim Ji-seok, Ha Seok-jin13Special Episode9 June 2019 Review of Season 2 Kim Jong-min is absent for this episode
Season 3
Episode # Challenge #Original airdate Scene Notes111 March 2020Time Machine Laboratory()28 March 20203215 March 2020Zombie Factory()422 March 20205329 March 2020Dark Villa()Related to St. Matthew Jo's Psychiatric Hospital patient named Jang Gi Du65 April 2020—No new episodes from 12 to 26 April as filming of the show has been postponed due to COVID-19.A special compilation episode of Top 50 scenes from the previous 15 escape challenges in all 3 seasons was aired on 12 April.743 May 2020Achaland()810 May 20209517 May 2020Bread Factory()1024 May 202011631 May 2020Mysterious Bunker/Back To The Gyeongseong(의문의 벙커/백 투 더 경성)Special appearance by Ha Seok-jin127 June 202013Special Episode14 June 2020Review of Season 3Kim Dong-hyun is absent for this episode
Season 4
Episode # Challenge #Original airdate Scene Notes1111 July 2021Back To The Ahan()Continued from Season 3's Mysterious Bunker/Back To The Gyeongseong challenge218 July 20213225 July 2021Luckyland()41 August 2021538 August 2021Jeoksong Prison()615 August 20217422 August 2021Crazy House()829 August 2021955 September 20213rd Industrial Complex()1012 September 202111619 September 2021Haneul Shelter()1226 September 202113Special episode3 October 2021Review of season 4
Great Escape Universe ZombieGhostSecret Security Association(SSA)Time Machine1Abandoned HospitalEvil Prison Taeyang Girls' High School——2Hope Research LaboratorySt. Matthew Jo's Psychiatric HospitalMirae University—3Zombie FactoryDark Villa Bread FactoryTime Machine LaboratoryMysterious Bunker/Back To The Gyeongseong4Jeoksong Prison—3rd Industrial ComplexHaneul ShelterBack To The Ahan
Ratings In the ratings below, the highest rating for the show will be in and the lowest rating for the show will be in . Note that the show airs on a cable channel (pay TV), which plays part in its slower uptake and relatively small audience share when compared to programs broadcast (FTA) on public networks such as KBS, SBS, MBC or EBS.
Season 12018AGB Nielsen(Nationwide)Broadcast date 1 1 July1.397% 2 8 July1.626% 315 July1.765% 422 July1.557% 529 July1.699% 6 5 August1.776% 712 August1.863% 819 August1.641% 926 August2.225% 10 2 September2.135% 11 9 September 12 16 September2.036%Special 13 23 September
Season 2 2019AGB Nielsen(Nationwide)Broadcast date117 March2.546%224 March2.048%331 March1.958%47 April1.749%514 April2.001%621 April1.836%728 April85 May2.001%912 May1.709%1019 May1.871%1126 May1.765%122 JuneSpecial 13 9 June1.714%
Season 3 2020AGB Nielsen(Nationwide)Broadcast date11 March2.740%28 March2.333%315 March2.767%422 March2.272%529 March2.871%65 April73 May2.705%810 May2.566%917 May2.633%1024 May2.717%1131 May2.570%127 June2.528%Special1314 June
Season 4 2021AGB Nielsen(Nationwide)Broadcast date111 July218 July1.949%325 July2.003%41 August1.954%58 August2.001%615 August2.289%722 August2.087%829 August2.110%95 September2.412%1012 September2.272%1119 September2.581%1226 September1.976%Special133 October
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Recipients Result 202056th Baeksang Arts AwardsTechnical AwardJang Yeon-wook (Art)
International version Chinese franchise In 2019, Mango Television purchased the rights for a Chinese adaptation of the show, titled Great Escape (密室大逃脫), which premiered on 30 March 2019.
Russian franchise In 2023, channel STS released an official Russian adaptation of the format, titled Большой побег, which premiered on 7 March 2023.
Vietnamese franchise In 2022, a program called Thử thách trốn thoát, was aired on channel VTV3 at 9.15 pm every Sunday night.
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