These are the biggest Korean channels and their programs!

Like almost everywhere else, there are of course countless television stations in South Korea. The three most famous and biggest of them are KBS, SBS and MBC! Besides news, all of these stations also broadcast music shows, K-dramas, and entertainment shows.

• KBS
• MBC
• SBS
• Mnet
• All music shows

KBS

KBS was founded in 1927 and is the oldest of the three stations. The abbreviation stands for Korean Broadcasting System. KBS operates no less than seven radio networks, ten television channels and offers several online services.

On channel KBS2, the music show "Music Bank" is broadcast live every Friday. Through the international broadcasting service KBS World, Music Bank is also now broadcast with subtitles in over 100 different countries! KBS World has also been broadcasting the music show "Virtual Gayo Top 10" since March 2022.

You can also watch KBS World on Youtube:

Of the entertainment shows that run on KBS, we particularly like the following:

• Entertainment Weekly: Weekly roundup of news from the celebrity world.
• Hello Counselor: Ordinary citizens come to the show to solve problems and talk amongst themselves. K-pop stars are often guests as well.
• The Return of Superman: Celebrity fathers - actors, singers or athletes - have to take care of their kids alone for 48 hours!

Like the other major networks, KBS has its own annual award shows for various categories:

• KBS Drama Awards

Throughout the year, the channel produces numerous series. In the awards show, only these KBS dramas are nominated and awarded. This year, KBS aired the following K-dramas, among others: Crazy Love, Moonshine, Jinxed at First & School 2021. Do you know any of them?

• KBS Entertainment Awards

This is where KBS awards various television personalities such as comedians and hosts. Among the nominees, of course, are those who can be seen in KBS programs. These mainly include the entertainment shows, a few of which we've recommended for you.

• KBS Song Festival

This annual music festival features a few of the most popular K-pop idols every year. First aired in 1965, it was then an awards show where K-pop stars who had made a comeback in the previous year were nominated and awarded. However, since 2006, no prizes have been awarded and the KBS Song Festival has become purely a music festival!

MBC

MBC stands for "Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation." The station was founded in 1961 and operates more than 10 television channels and three radio stations.

Its program includes the music shows "Show! Music Core" and "Show Champion". Show! Music Core airs on Saturdays on MBC and Show Champion airs on Wednesdays on MBC M. (Cable channel MBC M airs mostly music-related content).

Our favorite MBC entertainment shows:

• King of Mask Singer: A music competition in which celebrity contestants wear masks to hide their identities. The judges try to guess who is under the mask!
• Weekly Idol: A different K-Pop band is a guest each week, playing different games and introducing their new song!
• I Live Alone: Celebrities who live alone give viewers insights into their daily lives. K-Pop idols are also frequent guests: currently, Key from SHINee is even part of the permanent cast.

MBC Award Shows:

• MBC Drama Awards

Like the KBS Drama Awards, the MBC Drama Awards only honor series produced and aired by the station itself. This year, MBC aired K-dramas including The Red Sleeve, Tomorrow, Doctor Lawyer & Big Mouth!

• MBC Entertainment Awards

Here, television personalities who are featured in MBC shows - such as the entertainment shows we recommend - are awarded.

• MBC Gayo Daejejeon

The event used to be - from its first broadcast in 1996 to 2005 - an award show for Korean singers and K-pop stars. Now it is a pure music festival that is held every year.

SBS

Founded in 1990, SBS includes 10 television channels and three radio stations. The full name is "Seoul Broadcasting System".

On SBS, the music show "Inkigayo" is broadcast live on Sundays, and "The Show" is broadcast on Tuesdays on SBS M.

Our favorite entertainment shows from SBS:

• Running Man: The cast and their celebrity guests must complete missions to win. The loser or losers get a penalty.
• Law of the Jungle: Celebrities are sent to remote locations and must "survive" there. (Find food, build dwellings, etc.)
• Master in the House: The cast spends two days with a "master" to learn from them. Masters are experts in their respective fields. (This can be anything from cooking, financial advice, music production...)

SBS Award Shows:

• SBS Drama Awards

As with the KBS Drama Awards and the MBC Drama Awards, the SBS Drama Awards are exclusive to all dramas produced by the network itself. And there are plenty of those on SBS, too! This year, the series include: A Business Proposal, Woori the Virgin, Again My Life & Our Beloved Summer!

• SBS Entertainment Awards

This is where the television personalities featured in SBS shows are honored. This mainly includes the entertainment shows, of which we've briefly introduced you to a few of our favorite ones.

• SBS Gayo Daejon

Like the annual music festivals of KBS and MBC, SBS Gayo Daejon used to be an award show. Since 2006, no awards have been given out. Since then, SBS Gayo Daejon has been a big annual music festival.

In addition to the three major stations KBS, SBS and MBC, other stations such as JTBC, OCN and TVN also broadcast K-dramas. Which station does your favorite series belong to?

In addition to the three major stations, Mnet is also well known among K-pop fans:

Mnet, short for "Music Network," is a pay-TV music channel that, in addition to the music show "M Countdown", mainly airs survival shows Survival shows : these include the four seasons of the Produce 101 series, which spawned the successful project groups I.O.I, IZ*ONE, Wanna One and X1. (In each season, 101 trainees compete for a spot in the project group.) Then there's Show Me the Money - a competition for rappers - or Street Woman Fighter; a show that pits professional dance crews against each other. Mnet has also aired, among other things, I-Land; the show in which Belift Lab (owned by Hybe Corporation) created Enhypen.

This year, several of these shows are getting new seasons:

• Street Man Fighter (Starting August 23, 2022): In the first season "Street Woman Fighter" pitted women against each other. This time it's the men's turn.
• Show Me the Money Season 11 (From October 2022)
• I-Land 2 (2022/2023): The second season of I-Land will create a girl group.
• Boys Planet (2023): Boys Planet (2023): The male version of Girls Planet 999. Girls Planet aired in 2021. 99 female trainees from Korea, China and Japan competed for a spot in the final project group. The nine winners debuted as Kep1er.

Mnet does not have drama or entertainment award shows like KBS or SBS, but it does have the Mnet Asian Music Awards (often called MAMA for short). The show was first held in Seoul in 1999 and is now broadcast internationally. Every year, Asian artists are nominated and awarded there. Among the nominees and winners are mainly but not exclusively the popular K-pop bands and idols!