The tidal wave continues as now even KBS is considering ending Mon-Tues dramas, after SBS and MBC decided the same. KBS will air Let Me Hear Your Song next followed by Tale of Nokdu and after that there are no more dramas scheduled to be filmed. SBS is already airing a variety show Little Forest in the summer Mon-Tues time slot and MBC will air Welcome 2 Life and then there is no drama scheduled next. Blame the fallen ratings for all big three networks deciding to call it a day for dramas in that time slot, which just means three less dramas during each period so around eighteen less K-dramas to choose from each year. But tvN started Mon-Tues dramas a few years ago when before it wasn’t there before and the other cable networks could also add to the drama count so it’s not all doom and gloom. But still, fare thee well to the prime time Mon-Tues big three offerings.
KBS plans to temporarily stop the slot between Dec 19 to Feb 20.
I don’t understand the point that the 3 public channels stop at releasing dramas the same couple of days..It doesn’t seem very smart.
SBS will restart it’s drama slot after the variety show with LSG ends in October. Drama viewer ratings have been at their absolute worst in recent years with hardly any primetime dramas hitting double digits.
This was inevitable and most saw it coming. With the end of hallyu for k-drama channels are unable to sell dramas at the competitive prices they used to and even big named stars don’t bring in ratings anymore. Aide had very average ratings and Live despite being a NHK drama didn’t make any ratings breakthroughs. Not to forget the epic fail of Asdal. The Mon-Tue and Wed-Thurs slot for TVN hasn’t being performing well either but CJ has very deep pockets so they’ll be able to survive. Overall we could do with fewer but better k-drama content instead of the same recycled tropes with ‘big budgets’ to make them look like ‘high quality productions’
This is what happens when kpop becomes more interesting then kdrama.
The ratings have just gone down so dramatically in the past years that this was inevitable.
Although I also think a lot of it has to do with no real break-out drama being aired on the big three recently. We have had no dramas the level of You From Another Star, Descandants, MoonSun, etc which were all extremely high rated and super popular. Recently tvN has had some, but not the Big Three. They need to attract some big name projects simply – like maybe Kim Soo Hyun’s return or KES’s upcoming drama etc. The guaranteed hits so to say basically.
Big name projects aren’t enough to create the kind of buzz the dramas you mentioned had. The Pan Asia impact of kdrama has ended. Even KES couldn’t make ripples with Mr Sunshine nor did Sky Castle become a phenomenon outside of Korea despite the ratings. Similarly for Hotel Del Luna right now it has the ratings and buzz but its contained only withing Korea and even then it hasn’t become a cultural phenomena like Goblin or You From Another Star. Encounter and Memories weren’t able to leave any impact either despite their hallyu casts. The magic of kdrama has ended that is the real problem. Nobody cares about star writer and cast anymore because the bubble has burst. Kdrama has nothing new to offer anymore so people have moved on to other things. Currently I suspect kpop has a larger following and is the most influential element.
@butterfly -I wholeheartedly agree with your statement. I got bored for a few months with K dramas and went back to watching Bollywood movies moreso 70’s and 80’s classics and that was the tonic I needed and it’s reinvigorated me to start watching a couple of K dramas this weekend. Just last year I followed at least 3-5 dramas a week now it’s down to if I’m lucky 1. I had firm favourites (actors) that I kept tabs on however I’m not overly keen with all the drug and sexual assault scandals plaguing K news it affected my drama viewing. I do have to say I started watching C Drama ‘Unrequited love’ and boy the writing is definitely on point and actors just so lovable I’m hooked. Easygoing and the storyline and pace right up my alley way. Plus no drunken escapades n crazy women trying to bash up someone with their shoe and throwing up all over the place like their Korean counterparts.
Chinese dramas are on the rise these past few years. I guess it will only be a matter of time before they take over the dominance of Asian dramas once held by Koreanovelas.
It was bound to happen. Chinese dramas have improved their quality and overtaken Korean dramas in terms of plot.
C dramas won’t
I kind of agree. Cause even for me who hasn’t watched C-dramas for many years has gone back to watch them. Memories of Alhambra was such a frustrating experience for me that I tried out Ashes of Love just out of curiosity and was I pleasantly surprised by the good storyline.
It isn’t just the time slots they’ve cut down on. Has anyone noticed the lack of promotions for all the upcoming dramas by the big three? They’ve barely being promoting any of their dramas this year. Usually they’d do promotions for more than a month before the drama starts but now they start promotions just a few weeks before the premier. The lack of promotions isn’t helping the ratings either.
They better add more budget, all top actors move on to cable network, of course viewers move on too. Its such a pity tvN and jtbc get more rating than kbs, SBS, and mbc.
tvn and jtbc are barely getting better ratings for the amount they invest in their productions. I’m sure they are barely making back the money they spend but these channels are still in their early years so they won’t feel the impact yet the problem is kdrama have become boring and the entertainment world is tainted with too much controversy.