TV Shows Canceled Due to Korea Impeachment: From “The Tale of Lady Ok” to “Hangout with Yoo”

Impeachment Vote Impacts South Korean Broadcasting Schedule

The imminent vote on the second impeachment motion against South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, scheduled for this Saturday, has prompted major broadcasters to revise their programming significantly.

Notably, JTBC announced on December 13 that several programs set to air on December 14 will be altered in light of a special news coverage. This adjustment means that the highly anticipated episode 462 of the variety show Knowing Bros and episode 4 of the weekend drama The Tale of Lady Ok will not broadcast as planned. Instead, The Tale of Lady Ok will now air on Sunday, December 15, at 10:30 PM (KST).

This schedule alteration has disappointed many fans of The Tale of Lady Ok. The drama differentiates itself from conventional historical narratives by exploring the genuine struggles of servants, centering around the determined protagonist Goo-deok, portrayed by Lim Ji-yeon.

The show has garnered acclaim both domestically and internationally, with its debut episode scoring a rating of 4.2% in the Seoul metropolitan area. This number impressively increased to 8.1% in the metro area and 7.8% nationwide by the third episode. The postponement raises concerns regarding the show’s ongoing momentum.

Other Broadcasting Adjustments

In addition to JTBC’s programming changes, KBS and MBC have also modified their schedules in anticipation of the impeachment vote. KBS 2TV’s popular music reality program I’m a Singer will not air this week, while MBC has canceled its hit variety show Hangout with Yoo. Furthermore, the music program Show! Music Core has been scheduled to air earlier, now starting at 10:50 AM (KST).

Moreover, Channel A’s weekend drama Marry You will skip its Saturday episode for the second consecutive week.

Conversely, MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama When the Phone Rings remains on schedule for its usual 9:50 PM timeslot; however, this may shift depending on the results of the impeachment vote. Recently, it faced cancellation for two consecutive weeks, once due to President Yoon’s martial law decision and again for airing a documentary on Nobel laureate Han Kang.

Details of the Impeachment Motion

On December 13, the Korean National Assembly reviewed the second impeachment motion against President Yoon, which was proposed by 191 opposition and independent lawmakers. This motion accuses the president of undermining fundamental principles of popular sovereignty and separation of powers, alongside allegations of abusing martial law powers. A critical point raised is that the president allegedly commanded military and police forces to detain lawmakers, amplifying the controversy surrounding the motion.

The National Assembly plans to conduct the vote on the impeachment motion on December 14 at 5 PM (KST). To provide comprehensive and timely coverage, broadcasters are ramping up their special news programs, with the vote’s outcome poised to significantly influence the broadcasting schedules over the weekend.

Source: Wikitree

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