In the wake of South Korea’s worst disaster in decades after Wednesday morning’s capsize and sinking of a Jeju-bound ferry carrying nearly 500 passengers, all major broadcast networks canceled dramas and variety shows scheduled for that night. Due to the still unfolding nature of the rescue operation where nearly 280 passengers remain unaccounted for, the networks continued to focus all its coverage on news updates of the rescue and all of Thursday nights dramas and variety shows were also subsequently cancelled. The Thursday night cancellations were last minute as SBS had made an announcement that it was planning to air back-to-back episodes of Three Days on Thursday night but ultimately decided to scrap that plan and air no new episodes this week. KBS and MBC were on wait-and-see mode with respect to what it wanted to do on Thursday with its respective dramas Golden Cross and Sly and Single Again and both networks also elected to preempt. Dramas are pre-recorded so the magnitude and devastation of the unfolding ferry tragedy would have no impact on whether the show could air, but all the networks first cancelled its variety programs as it would be callous and insensitive to the hosts and cast to put on a live entertainment show in the midst of a national crisis to save as many passengers still alive as possible. As an entertainment blog I’ll report on the related industry updates so this post is to let all the viewers know not to look for new episodes of the Wed-Thurs dramas since none aired. This week’s sensible and necessary drama preemption will also likely impact future drama airing schedules so expect all the Wed-Thurs dramas to get pushed back a week which includes pushing back the premiere dates of the two upcoming new dramas You’re All Surrounded and A New Leaf.
The ferry sinking has been reported extensively by all the news portals so I won’t add any spurious reporting of what happened or provide the current rescue operation updates. My prayers are with the missing passengers and their families in hopes of a miracle happening to find more survivors.
Allow me to join you in those sentiments, our prayer to does who are lost and a prayer for a miracle to happen.
It’s so sad.. my prayer goes to all the people still missing and to the families…
It’s been so sad…continued hope for survivors
It’s really sad. I can’t even imagine how devastating it must be for the parents. The captain of the ship deserves something even worse than death. Prayers for the family who have lost their children and those who are still missing.
My prayers are with them too…. my grace of god hope they will me able to find the missing .
.. I read that its adout 325 high students was on the ferry
My prayers are with those parents and friends. It’s unimaginable how they feel.
So sad, my prayers are with deoarted, survivors and the families affected. I really hope they find more survivors, praying for a miracle.
*departed
Thoughts are with the victims and their families, and especially hope for more survivors.
Of course dramas and other entertainment shows should be pre-empted. It’s such a devastating situation. TT TT
Those poor people. I hope they find more survivors, it’s just an awful situation all around.
My condolence to all the victims’ families and I pray for more survivors to be found. Each time I read the news, tears flow down. MAY GOD BLESS EVERYONE OUT THERE!
My thoughts and prayers are with the families. I hope and pray for more survivors. Such a sad and devastating situation.
I cried quite a bit even though I’m so removed from the tragedy. All those innocent lives that were about to start gone and the the families left behind.
My prayers are with the families and the victims that God will bestow his Divine Mercy and Grace and that they will return to their families safe and sound. And also to the families of the almost 200 young girls ages 9-16 kidnapped from their school by terrorists in my country that they would be returned to their parents safe and sound. Please add them in your prayers.
@Jael, i’m sorry i missed that news from what country are u?
I really was hurt by what happend im not korean but it hurt like I was one of those ! My prayers are for all
This is so sad beyond words; yet, I believe in miracles…praying.
My condolences to the families of the victims and my prayers to those who are still missing; indeed we need a miracle..but still i believe that God has his own reasons for these natural catastrophe… just like what happened to us here in the Philippines late last year…