Korea’s major broadcasters — KBS, SBS and MBC — have canceled their annual year-end events, including award ceremonies and a song festival, following the tragic plane crash at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla on Sunday.
Local broadcaster MBC canceled all three of its annual year-end events, expressing its condolences regarding the accident.
MBC announced Monday it has decided to cancel the live broadcasting of its drama awards, which will be recorded and aired at a later date. The event was originally scheduled to take place at 8:40 p.m. on the same day.
“The decision was made out of respect for the victims and in solidarity with the bereaved families in their grief,” the broadcaster said. “We kindly ask for your understanding and will provide detailed information regarding the scheduling of the recorded broadcast and the winners at a later time.”
Its annual song festival, dubbed “2024 MBS Gayo Daejejeon Wannabe” this year, was reported Monday to be canceled, according to MBC. The event was scheduled to be aired live at 8:40 p.m. on Tuesday.
The song festival will not be broadcast live but will be recorded, according to the broadcaster. The specific details, including when the recorded version will be aired, have not been disclosed.
There will be no changes to the event’s lineup, according to news outlet Xsports News.
MBC also canceled its annual entertainment awards ceremony Sunday, following the accident.
Initially, the broadcaster stated that its photo wall event would be canceled, but the awards ceremony would still take place as planned. However, just two hours before the event, MBC announced the cancellation of the main ceremony as well.
![A promotional image for the 2024 SBS Entertainment Awards [SBS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/30/2498f63e-e544-419a-89db-5dc619384a57.jpg)
Local broadcaster SBS canceled its entertainment awards event, which was to be held on Tuesday.
SBS announced the cancellation Monday, and it has not yet been decided as to whether a recording of the ceremony would be rescheduled, local reports said.
KBS also decided to cancel its 2024 KBS Drama Awards event and the “2025 Countdown Show Light Now,” both initially set to be held on Tuesday.
The drama awards ceremony will take place as planned but will be recorded and not broadcast live, according to KBS.
The schedule for the taped broadcast and an announcement of the ceremony’s winners will be released at a later date, it added.
The “2025 Countdown Show Light Now” event was also canceled due to the seven-day national mourning period through Jan. 4, KBS said. The government announced the national mourning period on Sunday.
The countdown was slated to take place in front of the Shinsegae Department Store in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, after the drama awards ceremony.
On Sunday morning, Jeju Air Flight 7C 2216, a Boeing 737-800 carrying 181 individuals, including six crew members, crashed while attempting to land at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla after returning from Bangkok, Thailand. Out of 181 individuals, only two survived and 179 passengers and crew members were reported dead.
BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]
