KBS2

{{Infobox television channel

| name = KBS 2TV

| logo = KBS 2 logo.svg

| logo_size = 200px

| logo_caption =

| logo_alt =

| image =

| established =

| airdate =

| launch_date = {{Start date and age|1980|12|1|df=y}}

| closed_date =

| picture_format = 2160p UHDTV
(downscaled to 1080i and 480i for the HDTV and SDTV feeds respectively)

| network = Korean Broadcasting System

| owner = Korean Broadcasting System

| sister_channels = KBS1
KBS NEWS 24

| parent =

| key_people =

| motto =

| country = South Korea

| language = Korean

| area =

| affiliates =

| headquarters =

| former_names =

| replaced = TBC TV (1964–1980)

| replaced_by =

| timeshift_service =

| website = {{website|https://drama.kbs.co.kr/|KBS 2TV}}

| terr_serv_1 = Digital terrestrial television

| terr_chan_1 = Channel 7.1

| sat_radio_chan_1 =

| online_serv_1 = KBS

| online_chan_1 = [https://onair.kbs.co.kr/index.html?sname=onair&stype=live&ch_code=12&ch_type=globalList Watch live]
{{small|(South Korea only)}}

}}

KBS 2TV is a South Korean free-to-air television channel launched on 1 December 1980 and owned by Korean Broadcasting System. In contrast to KBS1, the channel specializes primarily in entertainment.{{cite news |title=Channel Info |url=http://english.kbs.co.kr/about/channel-info_1tv.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519131645/http://english.kbs.co.kr/about/channel-info_1tv.html |archive-date=19 May 2014 |access-date=4 April 2014 |newspaper=KBS English}}

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.{{cite news|title=Seoul merger plan to revamp news media |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19801117-1.2.17.5|access-date=30 April 2024|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=17 November 1980}}{{cite web |title=Papers of the British Association for Korean Studies |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K0kxAQAAIAAJ |access-date=30 April 2024 |website=Google Books |date=1992 }} On November 30, 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.{{cite web |title=KBS Song Festival: A History |url=https://snackfever.com/blogs/magazine/kbs-song-festival-a-history |access-date=21 April 2024 |website=Snack Fever |date=30 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231202211213/https://snackfever.com/blogs/magazine/kbs-song-festival-a-history |archive-date=2 December 2023}} The initial goal was to complement the two KBS networks, with KBS2 being initially dedicated for cultural and educational programming.{{cite news |title=기존TBC－TV프로 최대한 살려 |url=https://www.mk.co.kr/news/economy/478395 |work=Maeil Business Daily |date=November 27, 1980 |language=ko}} The channel started color broadcasts on December 22, 1980, alongside MBC.{{cite news |title=MBC 컬러TV 방영 |url=https://www.mk.co.kr/news/economy/480596 |work=Maeil Business Daily |date=December 20, 1980 |language=ko}}

Initially commercial-free, the two KBS networks reintroduced commercial advertising on March 7, 1981.[http://dna.naver.com/viewer/index.nhn?articleId=1981030600099211014&editNo=1&printCount=1&publishDate=1981-03-06&officeId=00009&pageNo=11&printNo=4615&publishType=00020 KBS 7일부터 광고방송]{{Dead link|date=February 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Maeil Kyungje, 6 March 1981，p. 11

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.{{cite web |title=A Study of the Government Cable Tv Policy in Korea in Comparison with the Government Cable Tv Policy in France |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HgC0yJMT-BwC |access-date=30 April 2024 |website=Google Books |date=1992 |last1=Joe |first1=Susan Kim }} The channel adopted green as its signature color in 1993.{{cite news |title=KBS 색깔은 녹색 |url=https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.naver?articleId=1993092500209121010&edtNo=40&printCount=1&publishDate=1993-09-25&officeId=00020&pageNo=21&printNo=22298&publishType=00010 |work=Naver News Library |agency=Dong-A Ilbo |date=September 25, 1993 |language=ko}}

Ratings soared for the final episode of First Love on April 20, 1997, at a record 65.8%.[http://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.nhn?articleId=1997042200209126005&editNo=45&printCount=1&publishDate=1997-04-22&officeId=00020&pageNo=26&printNo=23515&publishType=00010 첫사랑 마지막회 65.8% 최고 신기록] {{Webarchive|url=http://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.nhn?articleId=1997042200209126005&editNo=45&printCount=1&publishDate=1997-04-22&officeId=00020&pageNo=26&printNo=23515&publishType=00010 |date=20201014090537 }} Dong-A Ilbo, 22 April 1997, p. 26

Digital terrestrial broadcasts started in 2001, on LCN 7 at a national scale;{{cite news |title=디지털TV 방송시대 본격 개막 |url=https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/001/0000107925?sid=101 |work=Naver News |agency=Yonhap News |date=October 25, 2001 |language=ko}} analog broadcasts ended in 2012.

Its signal was interrupted for a 20-minute period on the evening of October 14, 2006.{{cite news |title=KBS 2TV 20여 분 방송 중단...최악의 방송사고 |url=https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/052/0000130903 |work=Naver News |agency=YTN |date=October 15, 2006 |language=ko}}

KBS2 was granted a subchannel (7-2) in 2015.{{cite news |last1=이 |first1=선희 |title=방통위 "다채널방송은 EBS에 국한" |url=https://www.mk.co.kr/news/business/7200875 |work=Maeil Business Daily |date=January 28, 2016 |language=ko}}

Programming

{{Main|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.{{cite web |title='Queen of Tears' dominates the K-drama scene for nearly two months |url=https://www.chosun.com/english/kpop-culture-en/2024/04/30/5K4MOG4GCJC2ZNNLUGF3EEZFUQ/ |access-date=21 April 2024 |website=Chosun Ilbo |date=30 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240430110751/https://www.chosun.com/english/kpop-culture-en/2024/04/30/5K4MOG4GCJC2ZNNLUGF3EEZFUQ/ |archive-date=30 April 2024}}

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

Network

Analog network (shut down in 2012):2005 World Radio and Television Handbook, page 651

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.Mi-ri Kim, [http://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=117&aid=0002788719 KBS 2TV, 新캐릭터 '케빗' 공개…재미·소통↑], Naver, 14 July 2016