Korean gameshow format Battle in the Box optioned by Jenny Daly’s Studio82 in US

Jenny Daly’s Studio82 has optioned Korean comedy reality gameshow Battle in the Box for a US adaptation in a deal with Seoul-based content IP agency Just iPicked.

Jenny Daly

Originally created and produced by South Korea’s NMedia, the format combines celebrity competition, reality and comedy, with two teams of two competing for physical space.

The celebrity pairs are placed inside an empty box divided by a movable wall. With no beds, chairs or everyday comforts, contestants must earn what they need through physical and mental challenges. Winning a challenge expands a team’s living space and pushes the wall toward its rival, shrinking the opposing team’s space.

The US option agreement was concluded by Daly, founder and CEO of Studio82, and Praise Shin, MD of Just iPicked, which handles the format’s international sales and remake negotiations.

The format has already been adapted in the UK and Sweden. The British version, produced by Interstellar for UKTV and hosted by comedian Jimmy Carr, aired in 2024 on U&Dave and streaming service U.

In Sweden, a local adaptation produced by Fremantle and hosted by comedian and filmmaker Felix Herngren launched on Prime Video in 2025.

Prior to setting up Studio82 earlier this year, Daly had a short stint at US unscripted prodco A Smith & Co Productions. Before that, she led Critical Content, where she oversaw productions including Celebrity Game Face, Catfish and Get Organized with The Home Edit. She is also an executive producer on Netflix’s Ginny & Georgia.