SK Chairman Choi Tae-won, Yellen headline EBS' 'Great Minds' Season 6 lineup of 50

A showcase of ideas from world-class scholars and global leaders, 'EBS 1TV Great Minds' — hereafter 'Great Minds' — is set to launch its sixth season. The season features a record 50 speakers. For the first time, leading South Korean figures and scholars, including 'Choi Tae-won, chairman of SK Group' and chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, are joining the program, expanding the scope of knowledge it brings to viewers.

Breaking down the boundaries of knowledge: A record 50-person roster

EBS held a production presentation on the 8th at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul, unveiling the blueprint and star-studded cast of 'Great Minds Season 6', which will premiere on the 12th of next month. Han Song-hee, the producing director overseeing the project, said, "This season cuts across the most pressing issues of our time, including 'artificial intelligence (AI)', upheaval in science and technology, and uncertainty in politics and the economy." Rather than offer predetermined answers, she said, "we put the emphasis on creating a program that allows viewers to ask questions and reflect from multiple perspectives."

The program combines broadcast content with the 'Korean Massive Open Online Course (K-MOOC)' initiative led by the Ministry of Education and the National Institute for Lifelong Education. It is regarded as a successful model of public cooperation that provides the highest-level knowledge free of charge to the entire public. Since its launch in 2021 through Season 5, a total of 152 scholars have appeared on the program, which has produced a landmark 805 lectures.

From Nobel laureates to OpenAI's top research executive: An all-star lineup

The new season's lineup is without precedent. It features a host of 'Nobel Prize winners', led by Philippe Aghion, who won the 2025 Nobel Prize in economics, along with Reinhard Genzel, the 2020 physics laureate; Ferenc Krausz, the 2023 physics laureate; Omar Yaghi, the 2025 chemistry laureate; and Tasuku Honjo, the 2018 physiology or medicine laureate. Their participation is expected to bring the program's academic depth to a new level.

They will be joined by hands-on leaders working at the forefront of global policy and industry. The speakers include 'Janet Yellen', former chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve; former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder; 'Mark Chen', OpenAI's chief research officer; and Sophie Marceau, an icon who represents France. Leading figures from a range of fields will take the stage.

The season's boldest move is the first participation of 'South Korean scholars and leaders'. Alongside Chairman Choi Tae-won, Kim Young-kee, a University of Chicago distinguished service professor and authority on particle physics; Hyeon Taek-hwan, a Seoul National University distinguished professor and world-renowned pioneer in nanoscience; and Kim Kyung-hee, a William & Mary professor and leading creativity researcher, will stand alongside scholars from around the world.

Professor Hyeon Taek-hwan said that day, "It is especially meaningful to communicate directly with the public about the questions South Korea's scientific community is raising at the global frontier." Professor Kim Young-kee also expressed his hopes, saying, "I hope this will give future generations a chance to savor the joy of pursuing fundamental questions in science."

Leads viewer satisfaction rankings: The evolution of knowledge as a public good

The presentation also unveiled data demonstrating 'Great Minds'' social impact. In a recent survey by polling firm Consumer Insight of 1,054 adults who had watched a knowledge or educational program in the previous three months, the show ranked No. 1 across all four key measures: preference, with 81.9 points; willingness to watch again, with 80.9 points; willingness to recommend, with 79.0 points; and satisfaction, with 83.0 points.

Kim Yoo-yeol, president of EBS, expressed confidence that "Season 6 will evolve into a 'public forum for knowledge' where insights from leading global scholars and South Korea's top intellectuals intersect to help society overcome the difficult challenges it faces."