KBS‘s ‘Gag Concert’→‘Music Bank’‘Immortal’ canceled… Public audience also postponed

KBS will cancel major entertainment programs during the national mourning period for the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster and replace them with special broadcasts such as educational programs and documentaries.

First, KBS 1TV’s flagship educational program ‘Good Morning’ will continue to be canceled this week. Long-running program ‘National Singing Contest’ has also decided to be canceled this week, following last week, considering the public sentiment regarding the large-scale disaster. ‘TV Show Genuine Masterpiece’, ‘National Music Festival’, etc. will also be canceled, and the memorial atmosphere will continue through replacement programs.

In addition, 2TV‘s ‘The Seasons - Lee Young-ji’s Rainbow’, ‘Gag Concert’, etc. have been canceled this week, and the on-site public recording of these programs has been postponed. KBS stated that they will ask for the understanding of the winners of admission tickets through separate notice and will do their best to minimize any inconvenience. ‘Music Bank’, ‘New Release Convenience Store Restaurant’, ‘The Country is a Singer in Germany’, ‘Immortal Songs’ will also be closed this week to mourn the national disaster.

Earlier, KBS decided to produce a recorded broadcast of the KBS Drama Awards scheduled for today (31st) instead of a live broadcast and to air it at a later date, and also canceled the ‘2025 Countdown Show LIGHT NOW’ event scheduled to be held in front of the main branch of Shinsegae Department Store in Myeongdong, Seoul on the same day.

Current affairs documentary programs such as ‘Tracking 60 Minutes’, ‘More’, ‘Current Affairs Planning Window’ will each broadcast special features by urgently covering the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster.

At around 9:03 am on the 29th, a Jeju Air passenger plane failed to lower its landing gear while landing at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province, causing the fuselage to collapse. The plane derailed during a landing, crashed into an exterior wall, and exploded. Of the 181 people on board the plane, 179 South Koreans and 2 Thais, 2 were rescued and the remaining 179 died. The government designated a seven-day period of national mourning from the day of the accident until January 4, 2025.

Jeong Hee-yeon, Donga.com reporter shine2562@donga.com