Significant adjustments to TV programming, affecting both variety shows and dramas, have been announced in the midst of South Korea’s growing political upheaval.
To make room for more extensive coverage of “News Desk” and special news broadcasts, MBC stated that a number of its well-liked variety shows, including as “Music Core,” “Home Alone” (“I Live Alone”), “How Do You Play?” and “The Manager,” will no longer air.
In a same vein, JTBC has officially announced that their premier variety show, “Knowing Bros” (“Ask Us Anything”), will not air this week.
There are also major schedule alterations for dramas. Due to special news broadcasts, the fifth and sixth episodes of MBC’s drama “When the Phone Rings,” which were initially scheduled to show on December 6 and 7, will not run this week. Instead, Episode 5 will premiere on December 13 of next week.
“The Fiery Priest 2‘s Episode 9 will air tonight (December 6) as scheduled, but Episode 10, which was originally scheduled for December 7, will be postponed due to special news coverage,” SBS said. Additionally, SBS’s music program “Inkigayo” will not air on December 8.
The third episode of JTBC’s “The Tale of Lady Ok” will run on December 8 at 10:30 p.m. KST rather than December 7.
Instead of broadcasting on December 7, Channel A’s weekend drama “Marry YOU” will run Episodes 7 and 8 back-to-back on December 8 at 7:50 p.m. KST.
These TV schedule adjustments come after a string of significant political developments in South Korea. In an emergency speech on December 3, President Yoon Suk Yeol proclaimed martial law. President Yoon Suk Yeol, however, issued a statement at 4:30 a.m. KST declaring the end of martial law after the National Assembly voted a motion calling for its repeal just two hours later.
Even after martial law was lifted, opposition parties are stepping up their attempts to remove President Yoon Suk Yeol from office. On December 7, the impeachment motion will be put to a vote.
Watch this space for additional developments.
