If you watch Korean dramas, entertainment shows or the music shows where K-Pop idols perform every week, you keep stumbling across the names of TV channels like MBC, KBS or Mnet. We'll briefly introduce you to some of the best-known South Korean channels and recommend our favorite entertainment shows from each one. We'll also list all the music shows that are currently on air for you!
As almost everywhere, South Korea of course has countless TV channels, too. The three best-known and biggest ones are KBS, SBS and MBC! Besides news, all of these channels also broadcast music shows, K-dramas and entertainment shows.
- KBS
- MBC
- SBS
- Mnet
- All music shows
KBS
KBS was founded in 1927 and is therefore the oldest of the three channels. The abbreviation stands for “Korean Broadcasting System” (German: Koreanisches Rundfunksystem). KBS operates no fewer than seven radio networks and ten TV channels, and offers several online services.
On the channel KBS2, the music show “Music Bank” is broadcast live every Friday. Through the international broadcasting service KBS World, Music Bank is now also aired with subtitles in more than 100 different countries! Since March 2022, KBS World has also been airing the music show “Virtual Gayo Top 10”.
You can also watch KBS World on YouTube:
Of the entertainment shows that air on KBS, we especially like the following:
- Entertainment Weekly: A weekly summary of news from the world of the stars.
- Hello Counselor: Ordinary citizens come to the show to solve problems and talk things out with each other. K-Pop stars are often guests, too.
- The Return of Superman: Famous dads - actors, singers or athletes - have to take care of their kids all by themselves for 48 hours!
Like the other big channels, KBS has its own annual award shows for different categories:
- KBS Drama Awards
Throughout the year, the channel produces numerous series. At the award show, only these KBS dramas are nominated and honored. 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
Here, KBS honors various TV personalities such as comedians and hosts. The nominees naturally include those who appear in KBS programs. That mainly means the entertainment shows, a few of which we recommended to you.
- KBS Song Festival
At this annual music festival, a few of the most popular K-Pop idols perform every year. It was first broadcast in 1965 and was originally still an award show where K-Pop stars who had made a comeback in the previous year were nominated and honored. Since 2006, however, no more awards have been given out and the KBS Song Festival has become a pure music festival!
MBC
MBC stands for “Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation”. The channel was founded in 1961 and operates more than 10 TV channels and three radio stations.
Its programming includes the music shows “Show! Music Core” and “Show Champion”. Show! Music Core airs on Saturdays on MBC and Show Champion on Wednesdays on MBC M. (The cable channel MBC M mainly broadcasts music-related programs.)
Our favorite entertainment shows from MBC:
- King of Mask Singer: A music competition in which the celebrity contestants wear masks to hide their identity. The panel tries to guess who is behind the mask!
- Weekly Idol: Every week, a different K-Pop group is a guest, playing various games and presenting their new song!
- I Live Alone: Celebrities who live alone give viewers a glimpse into their everyday life. K-Pop idols are often guests, too: Currently, Key from SHINee is even a permanent cast member.
MBC Award Shows:
- MBC Drama Awards
As with the KBS Drama Awards, the MBC Drama Awards only honor series that were produced and aired by the channel itself. This year, MBC aired the following K-dramas, among others: The Red Sleeve, Tomorrow, Doctor Lawyer & Big Mouth!
- MBC Entertainment Awards
Here, TV personalities who appear in MBC shows - such as in the entertainment shows we recommended - are honored.
- MBC Gayo Daejejeon
In the past - from its first broadcast in 1996 until 2005 - the event was an award show for Korean singers and K-Pop stars. Today it is a pure music festival that takes place every year.
SBS
The channel SBS, founded in 1990, comprises 10 TV channels and three radio stations. Its full name is “Seoul Broadcasting System”.
On SBS, the music show “Inkigayo” is broadcast live on Sundays, and “The Show” airs on Tuesdays on SBS M.
Our favorite entertainment shows from SBS:
- Running Man: The cast and their celebrity guests have to complete missions in order to win. The loser or losers get a penalty.
- Law of the Jungle: Celebrities are sent to remote places and have to “survive” there. (Finding food, building shelters, etc.)
- Master in the House: The cast spends two days with a "Master" to learn from them. The masters are experts in their respective fields. (That can be anything: cooking, financial advice, music production…)
SBS Award Shows:
- SBS Drama Awards
Like the KBS Drama Awards and the MBC Drama Awards, the SBS Drama Awards are exclusive to dramas that the channel produced itself. And SBS has plenty of those, too! This year they include the following series, among others: A Business Proposal, Woori the Virgin, Again My Life & Our Beloved Summer!
- SBS Entertainment Awards
Here, the TV personalities who appear in SBS shows are honored. This mainly includes the entertainment shows, a few of our favorites of which we briefly introduced to you.
- SBS Gayo Daejon
Like the annual music festivals of KBS and MBC, SBS Gayo Daejon used to be an award show, too. Since 2006, no more awards have been given out. Since then, SBS Gayo Daejon has been a big annual music festival.
Besides KBS, SBS and MBC, other channels such as JTBC, OCN and TVN also air K-dramas. Which channel does your favorite series belong to?
Besides the three biggest channels, Mnet is also very well known among K-Pop fans:
Mnet, short for “Music Network”, is a pay-TV music channel that, besides the music show “M Countdown”, mainly airs survival shows: These include, among others, the four seasons of the Produce 101 series, from which the successful project groups I.O.I, IZ*ONE, Wanna One and X1 emerged. (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 in which professional dance crews compete against each other. Mnet also aired I-Land, among others; the show in which Belift Lab (part of Hybe Corporation) formed Enhypen.
This year, several of these shows are getting new seasons:
- Street Man Fighter (From August 23, 2022): In the first season, “Street Woman Fighter”, women competed 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): In the second season of I-Land, a girl group is to be formed.
- 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 doesn't have drama or entertainment award shows like KBS or SBS, but it does have the Mnet Asian Music Awards (often also called MAMA for short). The show was held for the first time in 1999 in Seoul and is now also broadcast internationally. Every year, Asian artists are nominated and honored there. The nominees and winners mainly, but not exclusively, include the popular K-Pop groups and idols!
All music shows:
Now that we've given you an overview of the best-known channels and their programming, you already know most of the music shows where K-Pop idols perform their new songs every week. But here we have a complete list for you:
- Music Bank (Channel: KBS2 & KBS World)
- Virtual Gayo Top 10 (KBS World)
- Show! Music Core (MBC)
- Show Champion (MBC M)
- Inkigayo (SBS)
- The Show (SBS M)
- M Countdown (Mnet)
- Simply K-Pop (Arirang TV)
Arirang TV has 36 channels for different age groups, which deal with business, culture or entertainment, among other things. One of them is the music show “Simply K-Pop”.
Very soon, a new music show will be added to the well-known lineup! Starting in September, the channel JTBC wants to air a new music show called “K-909”!
JTBC is a general-interest channel that has news as well as entertainment shows and series in its lineup.
Is there anything else you'd like to know about South Korean television? Let us know in the comments!
