Series synopsis
Great Korean Railway Journeys is a British documentary television series that premiered on BBC Two on May 4, 2026. It stars Michael Portillo.
Travelling by rail across South Korea, Michael explores one of the world’s most successful modern nations, shaped by division, resilience and rapid change.
Premise
Travelling by rail across South Korea, Michael explores one of the world’s most successful modern nations, shaped by division, resilience and rapid change.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Michael Portillo as Self - Presenter
Episodes
This series spans 1 season with 5 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 5 | May 4, 2026 | May 8, 2026 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
DMZ to Seoul Michael begins his journey at the tense frontier of the Demilitarised Zone before heading to the capital of Seoul, a vast-fast moving city that has become one of the world's most advanced cities. |
May 4, 2026 |
| 2 |
Suwon to Seodaemun (Seoul) Michael’s South Korean railway journey continues in Seoul. Travelling across one of the world’s largest metro systems, he heads south to Suwon to visit Samsung’s headquarters. |
May 5, 2026 |
| 3 |
Daejeon to Busan Leaving Seoul aboard South Korea’s high-speed KTX train, Michael travels south through the heart of the country to explore how rail has shaped both its economy and identity. |
May 6, 2026 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | BBC Two |
|---|---|
| First aired | May 4, 2026 |
| Last aired | May 4, 2026 |
| Runtime | 29 minutes |
| Status | continue |