It happened in a Thai restaurant. Seriously. Most people think some Hollywood executive woke up from a fever dream with the idea for a giant singing Hippo, but the real story is much more random. Executive producer Craig Plestis was literally just out for dinner with his family in Los Angeles back in 2017. He noticed everyone in the restaurant—from the waitstaff to the patrons—was glued to a TV screen. They weren't watching sports or the news. They were watching a green masked character sing their heart out on a Thai variety show.
That was the "aha" moment. But if we’re talking about when did masked singer start in the strictly technical sense, we have to look much further than a dinner in Cali.
The True Birth in South Korea
Before it was a global juggernaut, the show was called King of Mask Singer (or Mystery Music Show: King of Mask Singer). It first aired as a lunar New Year pilot special in South Korea on February 18, 2015, on the MBC network. People loved it so much that it became a regular weekly series just a couple of months later, officially launching on April 5, 2015.
The Korean version is a bit different than what we see on Fox. It’s more of a tournament style. The "Mask King" stays on the throne until someone knocks them off, meaning one celebrity could stay hidden for months. In the US, we're used to the "one goes home every week" format, which keeps things moving fast but loses some of that long-term mystery.
Honestly, the Korean original is legendary for its talent. Ryan Reynolds even showed up on the Korean version in 2018 to sing "Tomorrow" from Annie while wearing a unicorn mask. That moment went viral and probably helped convince American networks that this weird concept could actually work here.
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The American Invasion: January 2019
So, when did the US version actually hit our screens? The Masked Singer started in the United States on January 2, 2019. Fox took a massive gamble on it. Critics thought it would be a total train wreck. I mean, on paper, it sounds ridiculous: let’s put T-Pain in a giant furry monster suit and have Ken Jeong shout "I know exactly who this is!" while being 100% wrong.
But it worked.
The premiere was a massive hit, pulling in over 9 million viewers. It was the highest-rated unscripted debut in seven years. By the time the Season 1 finale aired in February 2019, the show was a cultural phenomenon.
Why the Start Date Mattered
Timing is everything in TV. In early 2019, viewers were getting bored of the standard American Idol or The Voice format. We’d seen enough "hopeful amateurs" singing for a record deal. The Masked Singer flipped the script. It wasn't about the prize—it was about the "who is it?"
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A Timeline of the Global Rollout
The franchise didn't just stop in Seoul and LA. Once the US version exploded, every other country wanted a piece of the pie.
- Thailand (2016): Actually beat the US to the punch. Their version, The Mask Singer, started in late 2016 and is what Craig Plestis saw in that restaurant.
- China (2015): They launched Mask Singer shortly after the Korean debut.
- UK (January 2020): The Brits joined the party right before the world shut down for the pandemic.
- Australia (2019): Launched their version in September, right as the US was heading into Season 2.
By 2026, the show has reached over 50 territories. It's basically the McDonald's of reality TV—same basic ingredients, just slightly different local flavors.
When Did Masked Singer Start Changing?
If you go back and watch Season 1 from 2019, it feels... small? There were only 12 contestants. The costumes, designed by Marina Toybina, were amazing, but they weren't as "engineered" as they are now.
The shift happened around Season 3 (early 2020). That’s when the show moved to the "Group" format (Group A, B, and C). This was also when they had to start filming without a live audience due to the pandemic, which changed the energy of the reveal moments.
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Another big shift? The "Wildcard" contestants. That didn't start until Season 5. Now, the show is a constant barrage of twists, "Take It Off" buzzers, and themed nights. It’s a long way from the relatively simple guessing game that premiered on that Wednesday night in January 2019.
Why We Are Still Watching
It's easy to be cynical about a show where a giant piece of Broccoli sings Sinatra. But at its core, the reason it's lasted since 2015 (internationally) is the "equalizer" effect. When T-Pain won that first US season as the Monster, it actually changed people's perception of him. Without the auto-tune and the persona, people realized, "Wait, this guy can actually sing."
It gives celebrities a chance to be judged solely on their voice, which is pretty rare in a world obsessed with image.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the history or stay updated with the current 2026 season:
- Watch the Korean Originals: If you can find clips of King of Mask Singer, do it. The vocal talent is often operatic or professional-grade musical theater.
- Check the Credits: Look for the name Park Won-woo. He’s the original creator from South Korea who dreamed this up while thinking about how to make a singing show more about the "mystery."
- Track the Evolution: Compare the "Hippo" from Season 1 (Antonio Brown) to the mechanical, moving parts of the costumes in Season 14. The tech upgrade is wild.
The show has come a long way from a Korean pilot and a chance encounter in a Thai eatery. Whether you love the campiness or hate the puns, there’s no denying that January 2019 changed American reality TV for good.