Broadcasters, streaming services to halt shows and dramas

Local broadcasters and streaming services remove Halloween-themed content

A screenshot image shows a message on the terrestrial broadcaster SBS’ official website, offering its deepest condolences to the victims and their families of the Itaewon accident. (SBS)

Terrestrial broadcasters, cable channels and streaming services have cancelled or postponed airing weekly programs and upcoming series which were scheduled to be released this week, as South Korea enters a weeklong national mourning period that ends on Nov. 5.

In an attempt to offer their condolences to the victims and their families of the unfortunate accident that occurred in Itaewon, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on Saturday night, references to Halloween were removed from Korean creative content.

Public broadcaster KBS decided to cancel the Halloween edition of its Sunday night show “2 Days & 1 Night,” in which the cast were set to take on missions and quests with special costumes.

A screenshot image shows a teaser for the cancelled Sunday night Halloween episode of "2 Days & 1 Night." (KBS)

Terrestrial broadcaster MBC’s reality show “United Fathers,” which was scheduled to feature an episode of a British family carving a jack-o-lantern, celebrating Halloween with a costume party and playing pranks, was called off on Sunday.

Local video streaming services Tving and Watcha also announced that they have removed its Halloween curation system, which recommends ghost-themed series and unscripted shows.

All broadcasts of South Korean weekly music shows, including “Music Bank,” “Show! Music Core,” “Inkigayo” and more, were canceled for this week. Cable channel JTBC decided to skip airing this week’s episode of popular music shows “Second World” and “K-909” as well.

JTBC’s Tuesday night arm wrestling competition program “Over the Top” is taking a break after having aired just one episode until the end of the mourning period. Cable channel tvN also announced that it would not air its hit talk show “You Quiz on the Block,” reality shows “Youth MT” and “Amazing Saturday” this week.

MBC postponed airing its drama series “May I Help You?” and the premiere of its new variety program “Top Teacher” until next week. The broadcaster’s Tuesday night unscripted show “DNA Mate” will be replaced with a debate show called “100 Minute Discussion,” which will focus on the Itaewon incident.

Global streaming service Netflix and local streaming service Coupang Play were scheduled to premiere a new drama series titled “The Fabulous” and a dating reality show called “Office Romance,” respectively, on Friday. But the projects are likely to be postponed until the end of the national mourning period, according to the services’ officials.

By Lee Si-jin(sj_lee@heraldcorp.com)