According to EBS on the 26th, the production team of ‘The Last Humanity’ revealed that the program began with a fundamental question: “Can humans actually survive after leaving Earth?”
They added, “Now that the era of space development is in full swing, humans shouldn’t just build spaceships; they must be able to construct an entire ecosystem where air, water, and food circulate.” The team explained that they wanted to experiment to see if humans are truly capable of creating a “Second Earth.”
Set in the near future of 2038, when Earth’s systems begin to collapse due to climate disasters, ‘The Last Humanity’ is the world’s first “science survival reality” program. Seven participants will challenge survival in extreme environments by utilizing science.
The show aims to highlight the current crisis facing our planet through recurring abnormal weather, collapsing ecosystems, and natural changes that are beyond human control.
The cast features a diverse lineup, including actor Yoo Seung-ho, comedian Lee Eun-ji, and singer-actor BIBI. Joining them are brain scientist Jang Dong-seon, ENT specialist and web novel writer Lee Nak-jun, Kwangwoon University chemistry professor Jang Hong-je, and NASA geoscientist Dr. Kim Han-gyeol.
Regarding the casting process, the production team stated, “From the start, rather than simply looking for people with superior survival skills or scientific knowledge, we wanted to find individuals who could interpret science and the future of humanity in their own unique ways.”
They further explained, “We believed that having various professionals—including actors, entertainers, and artists alongside scientists—participate would make the process of colliding and cooperating through different judgment methods and values another experiment in itself.”
The team also shared why they chose ‘Biosphere 2’ in the Arizona desert, USA, as the main stage for the program.
‘Biosphere 2’ is an artificial system built in 1991 that replicates Earth’s ecosystems on a smaller scale, featuring rainforests, deserts, oceans, and farmland.
Back then, eight participants attempted a two-year experiment of self-sufficiency in water, food, and air. However, due to a series of unpredictable variables, it was eventually labeled a “failed utopia.”
The production team explained, “Biosphere 2 felt like a grand declaration from an era when people believed humans could create their own Earth. However, in the actual experiment, unexpected problems like oxygen shortages, food scarcity, and ecosystem imbalances occurred constantly.”
They added, “Including those failures and the chaos, Biosphere 2 still seems like the biggest question regarding the future of humanity.”
They emphasized, “Concerns that seemed like science fiction 30 years ago are now becoming reality. In an era where we discuss living on the Moon and Mars, we wanted to explore how far humans can reproduce an ecosystem and if science can truly lead humans to a new world.”
The team added, “We wanted to try the experiment conducted 30 years ago again with seven Koreans today.”
The direction of the program also evolved during production. The team revealed, “Initially, we considered a more traditional survival format, but as the symbolism of Biosphere 2 combined with questions about human civilization, it developed into the current worldview where humanity prepares for a ‘Second Earth’.”
They expressed hope that “the program will go beyond a simple story of survival and make people rethink the relationship between humans, science, and the environment.”
‘The Last Humanity’ received production support from the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity. It will premiere on June 4th at 10:50 PM on EBS.
