K-networks Preempt Both Nights of Wed-Thurs Drama Episodes for Continued Ferry Sinking Coverage

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.