{
 "id": "epzff4ax26",
 "slug": "the-zone-survival-mission",
 "title": "The Zone: Survival Mission (더 존: 버터야 산다)",
 "updated": "2026-11-01",
 "topic_path": [
  {
   "id": "culture",
   "label": "Arts and culture",
   "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture"
  },
  {
   "id": "culture.performance",
   "label": "Screen and stage",
   "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance"
  },
  {
   "id": "culture.performance.screen",
   "label": "Film and television",
   "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen"
  },
  {
   "id": "culture.performance.screen.series",
   "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds",
   "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series"
  },
  {
   "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted",
   "label": "Unscripted, reality, and web-native series",
   "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted"
  },
  {
   "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted.celebrity-lifestyle-court-reality",
   "label": "Celebrity, family, lifestyle, and court reality series",
   "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted.celebrity-lifestyle-court-reality"
  },
  {
   "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted.celebrity-lifestyle-court-reality.lifestyle-dating-and-docusoaps",
   "label": "Lifestyle, dating, and docusoaps",
   "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted.celebrity-lifestyle-court-reality.lifestyle-dating-and-docusoaps"
  },
  {
   "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted.celebrity-lifestyle-court-reality.lifestyle-dating-and-docusoaps.celebrity-and-family-docusoaps",
   "label": "Celebrity and family docusoaps",
   "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted.celebrity-lifestyle-court-reality.lifestyle-dating-and-docusoaps.celebrity-and-family-docusoaps"
  },
  {
   "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted.celebrity-lifestyle-court-reality.lifestyle-dating-and-docusoaps.celebrity-and-family-docusoaps.yr-2019-2026",
   "label": "Premiered 2019 to 2026",
   "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted.celebrity-lifestyle-court-reality.lifestyle-dating-and-docusoaps.celebrity-and-family-docusoaps.yr-2019-2026"
  }
 ],
 "geo": [
  {
   "id": "geo.asia.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted",
   "label": "Asia (other) · 2021 and later: Unscripted, reality, and web-native series",
   "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.asia.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted",
   "path": [
    {
     "id": "geo.asia",
     "label": "Asia (other)",
     "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.asia"
    },
    {
     "id": "geo.asia.t2021",
     "label": "Asia (other) · 2021 and later",
     "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.asia.t2021"
    },
    {
     "id": "geo.asia.t2021.culture",
     "label": "Arts and culture",
     "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.asia.t2021.culture"
    },
    {
     "id": "geo.asia.t2021.culture.performance",
     "label": "Screen and stage",
     "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.asia.t2021.culture.performance"
    },
    {
     "id": "geo.asia.t2021.culture.performance.screen",
     "label": "Film and television",
     "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.asia.t2021.culture.performance.screen"
    },
    {
     "id": "geo.asia.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series",
     "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds",
     "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.asia.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series"
    },
    {
     "id": "geo.asia.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted",
     "label": "Unscripted, reality, and web-native series",
     "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.asia.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted"
    }
   ]
  }
 ],
 "excerpt": "The Zone: Survival Mission (더 존: 버텨야 산다) is a Disney+ Korean reality game show from the Running Man producers, starring Yoo Jae-suk, Lee Kwang-soo, and Kwon Yuri surviving four-hour disaster simulations; three seasons ran 2022–2024.",
 "snippet": "The Zone: Survival Mission (더 존: 버텨야 산다) is a Disney+ Korean reality game show from the Running Man producers, starring Yoo Jae-suk, Lee Kwang-soo, and Kwon Yuri surviving four-hour disaster simulations; three seasons ran 2022–2024.",
 "node": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted.celebrity-lifestyle-court-reality.lifestyle-dating-and-docusoaps.celebrity-and-family-docusoaps.yr-2019-2026",
 "markdown": "# The Zone: Survival Mission (더 존: 버터야 산다)\n\n**The Zone: Survival Mission** (더 존: 버텨야 산다) is a South Korean reality game show on Disney+ in which three celebrity cast members, framed as representatives of humanity, must survive a series of disaster-simulation zones, each lasting four hours. It was created by the production team behind the variety show *Running Man* and stars *Running Man* regulars [Yoo Jae-suk](https://www.edgepedia.org/yoo-jae-suk) and [Lee Kwang-soo](https://www.edgepedia.org/lee-kwang-soo) alongside [Girls' Generation](https://www.edgepedia.org/girls-generation) member Kwon Yuri.<sup>[1](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/20220929/the-zone-survival-mission-producers-create-large-scale-disaster-survival-show)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/zone-survival-mission-season-2-interview-361491)</sup> Three seasons ran on Disney+ from 2022 to 2024.<sup>[3](https://www.disneyplus.com/en-dk/browse/entity-3ca490d9-ea73-4f61-b341-2de199692040)</sup>\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Format | Three cast members complete a different disaster simulation in each zone, surviving four hours without crew interference<sup>[1](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/20220929/the-zone-survival-mission-producers-create-large-scale-disaster-survival-show)</sup> |\n| Original cast | Yoo Jae-suk, Lee Kwang-soo, and Kwon Yuri<sup>[4](https://welcon.kocca.kr/cmm/fms/crawling/ott2all_%EB%AF%B8%EB%A6%AC%EB%B3%B4%EA%B8%B0?atchFileId=FILE_7b6278fe-607a-422e-a63e-56cbcf47f7c4&fileSn=1)</sup> |\n| Season 1 | Premiered September 8, 2022, eight episodes, produced by Studio Gaon, directed by Jang Hyuk-jae and Cho Hyo-jin<sup>[4](https://welcon.kocca.kr/cmm/fms/crawling/ott2all_%EB%AF%B8%EB%A6%AC%EB%B3%B4%EA%B8%B0?atchFileId=FILE_7b6278fe-607a-422e-a63e-56cbcf47f7c4&fileSn=1)</sup> |\n| Season 2 | Premiered June 14, 2023, eight episodes, directed by Cho Hyo-jin and Kim Dong-jin<sup>[5](https://v.daum.net/v/W2KAeaXea5)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[6](https://tva.onscreenasia.com/2023/05/korean-variety-show-the-zone-survival-mission-returns-june-14-exclusively-on-disney/)</sup> |\n| Season 3 | Added new \"agents of mankind\" (Dex and Kim Dong-hyun), tougher rules, and Z Coins worth up to 200 million won<sup>[3](https://www.disneyplus.com/en-dk/browse/entity-3ca490d9-ea73-4f61-b341-2de199692040)</sup> |\n| Chart performance | Season 1 topped the Disney+ top 10 in Hong Kong and Korea; season 2 reached No. 2 in South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong<sup>[1](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/20220929/the-zone-survival-mission-producers-create-large-scale-disaster-survival-show)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://v.daum.net/v/W2KAeaXea5)</sup> |\n| Audience rating | 6.8/10 on IMDb from 384 user ratings<sup>[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21875418/)</sup> |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Seasons\n\n**Season 1** premiered on Disney+ on September 8, 2022, as an eight-part series produced by Studio Gaon and directed by [Jang Hyuk](https://www.edgepedia.org/jang-hyuk)-jae and Cho Hyo-jin.<sup>[4](https://welcon.kocca.kr/cmm/fms/crawling/ott2all_%EB%AF%B8%EB%A6%AC%EB%B3%B4%EA%B8%B0?atchFileId=FILE_7b6278fe-607a-422e-a63e-56cbcf47f7c4&fileSn=1)</sup> A week after release it topped the Disney+ top 10 streaming chart in Hong Kong and Korea, ranked second in Singapore and Taiwan, and third in Indonesia, according to the streaming analytics platform FlixPatrol.<sup>[1](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/20220929/the-zone-survival-mission-producers-create-large-scale-disaster-survival-show)</sup>\n\n**Season 2** premiered on June 14, 2023, with a three-episode launch followed by weekly releases. It featured an upgraded \"AI 2.0\" that sets a series of increasingly difficult challenges, with the cast traveling to some of Korea's most unique destinations; announced scenarios included searching for life-saving water in a haunted hospital, playing golf to escape a rapidly sinking island, recreating childhood games on a shaking suspension bridge, escaping a waterpark full of zombies, and surviving on a traveling bed hijacked by a rogue AI.<sup>[6](https://tva.onscreenasia.com/2023/05/korean-variety-show-the-zone-survival-mission-returns-june-14-exclusively-on-disney/)</sup> The eight-part season hit the No. 2 slot on the Disney+ chart in South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.<sup>[5](https://v.daum.net/v/W2KAeaXea5)</sup>\n\n**Season 3** arrived in 2024, completing a run listed by Disney+ as 2022 to 2024 across three seasons. Joining the team are remarkable new agents of humanity, Dex and Kim Dong-hyun, who raise the group's capabilities amid stricter rules, greater realism, and the hardest missions yet; Z Coins may turn into individual rewards of as much as 200 million won, turning the show into an arena where teamwork and rivalry collide.<sup>[3](https://www.disneyplus.com/en-dk/browse/entity-3ca490d9-ea73-4f61-b341-2de199692040)</sup> Season 3 scenarios listed by the platform include surviving four hours in a world filled with robots that look just like Yoo Jae-suk, repaying a massive loan in a collapsing paper house, and fact-checking in an abandoned resort filled with strange phenomena.<sup>[3](https://www.disneyplus.com/en-dk/browse/entity-3ca490d9-ea73-4f61-b341-2de199692040)</sup>\n\n## Format\n\nEach episode places the cast in a zone with a different simulation, and they must endure the challenge for four hours straight without interference from the production crew. Co-producer Cho Hyo-jin said the producers and writers spent about 400 hours preparing to film those four continuous hours, planning that he described as mentally exhausting.<sup>[1](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/20220929/the-zone-survival-mission-producers-create-large-scale-disaster-survival-show)</sup> The premise frames the three as representatives of humanity who, after a sudden global pandemic, must endure four hours in \"The Zone,\" a virtual space of disaster simulations.<sup>[8](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/%E1%84%83%E1%85%A5-%E1%84%8C%E1%85%A9%E1%86%AB-%E1%84%87%E1%85%A5%E1%84%90%E1%85%A7%E1%84%8B%E1%85%A3-%E1%84%89%E1%85%A1%E1%86%AB%E1%84%83%E1%85%A1/umc.cmc.3p2f0k6pl47ajqssuoihc8zhe)</sup>\n\nThe scenarios mix disaster simulation with comedy. Season 1 put the cast into catastrophic situations including a zombie apocalypse, a water shortage, and gambling addiction.<sup>[5](https://v.daum.net/v/W2KAeaXea5)</sup> Episode descriptions from the first season include a challenge in which the team must go unnoticed, a cold-weather trial with a rest in a warm sauna followed by further ordeals, an old village swarming with evil spirits where the team finds a blood-stained poster and must solve a mystery, and a quarantine scenario in a private house where breaking the rules brings a frightening penalty.<sup>[8](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/%E1%84%83%E1%85%A5-%E1%84%8C%E1%85%A9%E1%86%AB-%E1%84%87%E1%85%A5%E1%84%90%E1%85%A7%E1%84%8B%E1%85%A3-%E1%84%89%E1%85%A1%E1%86%AB%E1%84%83%E1%85%A1/umc.cmc.3p2f0k6pl47ajqssuoihc8zhe)</sup>\n\nBecause the show streams globally through Disney+, Cho said the team designed the games to be simple and slapstick so overseas viewers could follow them without heavy captions, reasoning that a disaster is something any viewer will understand.<sup>[1](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/20220929/the-zone-survival-mission-producers-create-large-scale-disaster-survival-show)</sup>\n\n## Production and origins\n\nThe show came from the producers of *Running Man*. Cho explained that they wanted a format different from the observational or dating reality shows then booming in Korea, and that Yoo Jae-suk wanted something new; since the team had already done escape shows, they settled on a survival format.<sup>[1](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/20220929/the-zone-survival-mission-producers-create-large-scale-disaster-survival-show)</sup> Cho credited Yoo with carrying the filming and bringing out the comedy in each simulation, saying he keeps up the humor while struggling to survive and keeps such situations under control, and that Yoo's sharp wit kept the production team on their toes when designing the zones.<sup>[1](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/20220929/the-zone-survival-mission-producers-create-large-scale-disaster-survival-show)</sup>\n\n**Season 2 production.** With many COVID-19 restrictions lifted, the production team brought large-scale missions to different cities. Director Kim Dong-jin described building different sets to transform an empty hospital building, creating a specially designed elevator, and installing a telecommunications network so phone calls would work inside a deserted cave.<sup>[5](https://v.daum.net/v/W2KAeaXea5)</sup> The directors said most of their ideas came from ordinary conversations; the third episode of season 2, in which the cast must stay in a bed that moves to different places, grew from a Korean meme about everywhere beyond your blanket being dangerous.<sup>[5](https://v.daum.net/v/W2KAeaXea5)</sup> While filming that episode at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology, the cast stumbled upon a real wedding and gave the couple a surprise cash gift of about S$200.<sup>[2](https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/zone-survival-mission-season-2-interview-361491)</sup>\n\n## Reception\n\nThe show won a Popular Actor award at the Blue Dragon Series Awards, according to its Disney+ listing.<sup>[3](https://www.disneyplus.com/en-dk/browse/entity-3ca490d9-ea73-4f61-b341-2de199692040)</sup> On IMDb it holds a 6.8/10 rating from 384 user votes.<sup>[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21875418/)</sup> A review at SCRNRADAR described the show's appeal as the way it blends scripted concepts with unscripted reactions, with each new zone bringing a different challenge that prevents the format from becoming stale.<sup>[9](https://scrnradar.com/the-zone-survival-mission-review-a-wild-blend-of-chaos-comedy-and-survival/)</sup>\n\nCho described the Korean content industry as split among viewers who prefer high-ratings TV shows, streaming users who choose their own content, and young YouTube users, a situation he expected to last a long time. He and Kim said they had enough ideas for further seasons, including applying a multiverse concept, with the decision up to Disney+.<sup>[5](https://v.daum.net/v/W2KAeaXea5)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. ['The Zone: Survival Mission' producers create large-scale disaster survival show, The Korea Times](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/20220929/the-zone-survival-mission-producers-create-large-scale-disaster-survival-show)\n2. [What happened when the cast of The Zone: Survival Mission stumbled upon a real-life wedding?, CNA Lifestyle](https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/zone-survival-mission-season-2-interview-361491)\n3. [Watch The Zone: Survival Mission, Disney+](https://www.disneyplus.com/en-dk/browse/entity-3ca490d9-ea73-4f61-b341-2de199692040)\n4. [Korean OTT content catalog, KOCCA Welcon](https://welcon.kocca.kr/cmm/fms/crawling/ott2all_%EB%AF%B8%EB%A6%AC%EB%B3%B4%EA%B8%B0?atchFileId=FILE_7b6278fe-607a-422e-a63e-56cbcf47f7c4&fileSn=1)\n5. [Restraints are off for return of 'The Zone: Survival Mission', The Korea Herald via Daum](https://v.daum.net/v/W2KAeaXea5)\n6. [Korean variety show THE ZONE: Survival Mission returns June 14 exclusively on Disney+, Television Asia Plus](https://tva.onscreenasia.com/2023/05/korean-variety-show-the-zone-survival-mission-returns-june-14-exclusively-on-disney/)\n7. [The Zone: Survival Mission (TV Series 2022–2024), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21875418/)\n8. [더 존: 버텨야 산다, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/%E1%84%83%E1%85%A5-%E1%84%8C%E1%85%A9%E1%86%AB-%E1%84%87%E1%85%A5%E1%84%90%E1%85%A7%E1%84%8B%E1%85%A3-%E1%84%89%E1%85%A1%E1%86%AB%E1%84%83%E1%85%A1/umc.cmc.3p2f0k6pl47ajqssuoihc8zhe)\n9. [The Zone Survival Mission Review: A Wild Blend of Chaos, Comedy, and Survival, SCRNRADAR](https://scrnradar.com/the-zone-survival-mission-review-a-wild-blend-of-chaos-comedy-and-survival/)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Unscripted, reality, and web-native series › Celebrity, family, lifestyle, and court reality series › Lifestyle, dating, and docusoaps › Celebrity and family docusoaps › Premiered 2019 to 2026*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n",
 "same_as": [],
 "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/the-zone-survival-mission",
 "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/the-zone-survival-mission.md",
 "license": {
  "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0",
  "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license",
  "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.",
  "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0"
 },
 "credit": "\"The Zone: Survival Mission (더 존: 버터야 산다)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/the-zone-survival-mission. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.",
 "credit_md": "\"[The Zone: Survival Mission (더 존: 버터야 산다)](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-zone-survival-mission)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/the-zone-survival-mission](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-zone-survival-mission). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).",
 "credit_html": "\"<a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/the-zone-survival-mission\">The Zone: Survival Mission (더 존: 버터야 산다)</a>\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), <a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/the-zone-survival-mission\">https://www.edgepedia.org/the-zone-survival-mission</a>. <a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\">Edgepedia Community License 1.0</a>.",
 "speakable": "The Zone: Survival Mission is a Disney+ Korean reality game show from the Running Man producers, starring Yoo Jae-suk, Lee Kwang-soo, and Kwon Yuri surviving four-hour disaster simulations; three seasons ran 2022–2024."
}