KBS2

History

KBS2 was created as an effect of the Policy for Merger and Abolition of the Press. The Tongyang Broadcasting Company, set up by Samsung founder Lee Byung-chul, had its license revoked and its operations were absorbed into the Korean Broadcasting System. At the time of the decision, TBC was Korea's second largest radio and television company. On 30 November 1980, TBC made its final broadcast and the following day, KBS2 signed on in Seoul and Busan, where TBC had its television stations. Some of TBC's programs were continued under KBS, including the KBS Music Festival, which started in 1965 on TBC. The initial goal was to complement the two KBS networks, with KBS2 being initially dedicated for cultural and educational programming. The channel started color broadcasts on 22 December 1980, alongside MBC.

Initially commercial-free, the two KBS networks reintroduced commercial advertising on 7 March 1981.

At the start of cable television networks in South Korea in the early 90s, KBS2 was included in the must-carry package, which initially excluded the commercial channels MBC and SBS. The channel adopted green as its signature color in 1993.

Ratings soared for the final episode of First Love on 20 April 1997, at a record 65.8%.

Digital terrestrial broadcasts started in 2001, on LCN 7 at a national scale; analog broadcasts ended in 2012.

Its signal was interrupted for a 20-minute period on the evening of 14 October 2006.

KBS2 was granted a subchannel (7-2) in 2015.

Programming

Main article: List of programs broadcast by the Korean Broadcasting System

Dramas are a pillar of KBS2's schedule. In the last week of April 2024, out of ten dramas broadcast on linear (terrestrial and subscription) and OTT platforms, only two of KBS2's dramas were among the ten-most watched programs of the genre, with viewing figures lower than the ones produced by tvN, JTBC and also streaming services.

The channel also airs news, variety shows and Music Bank.

Network

Analog network (shut down in 2012):

• Gangneung: channel 6
• Seoul: channel 7
• Busan: channel 7
• Jeju: channel 10
• Jeonju: channel 13
• Pohang: channel 20
• Chuncheon: channel 22
• Andong: channel 23
• Yeosu: channel 24
• Cheongju: channel 24
• Gwangju: channel 25
• Ulsan: channel 27
• Jinju: channel 27
• Mokpo: channel 29
• Chungju: channel 30
• Wonju: channel 31
• Daegu: channel 38
• Daejeon: channel 42
• Changwon: channel 45

Kebit

Kebit (케빗) is the channel's mascot, introduced in the summer of 2016. Kebit represents "KBS's light" and is a space lifeform who descended to Earth.

References

References

1. "Channel Info". KBS English.
2. (17 November 1980). "Seoul merger plan to revamp news media". The Straits Times.
3. (1992). "Papers of the British Association for Korean Studies".
4. (30 December 2017). "KBS Song Festival: A History".
5. (27 November 1980). "기존TBC－TV프로 최대한 살려". [[Maeil Business Daily]].
6. (20 December 1980). "MBC 컬러TV 방영". [[Maeil Business Daily]].
7. (February 2025)
8. (1992). "A Study of the Government Cable Tv Policy in Korea in Comparison with the Government Cable Tv Policy in France".
9. (25 September 1993). "KBS 색깔은 녹색". Naver News Library.
10. link. (14 October 2020 [[Dong-A Ilbo]], 22 April 1997, p. 26)
11. (25 October 2001). "디지털TV 방송시대 본격 개막". Naver News.
12. (15 October 2006). "KBS 2TV 20여 분 방송 중단...최악의 방송사고". Naver News.
13. (28 January 2016). "방통위 "다채널방송은 EBS에 국한"". Maeil Business Daily.
14. (30 April 2024). "'Queen of Tears' dominates the K-drama scene for nearly two months".
15. 2005 World Radio and Television Handbook, page 651
16. Mi-ri Kim, [http://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=117&aid=0002788719 KBS 2TV, 新캐릭터 '케빗' 공개…재미·소통↑], Naver, 14 July 2016