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. 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. The initial goal was to complement the two KBS networks, with KBS2 being initially dedicated for cultural and educational programming. The channel started color broadcasts on December 22, 1980, alongside MBC. Initially commercial-free, the two KBS networks reintroduced commercial advertising on March 7, 1981. 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. The channel adopted green as its signature color in 1993. Ratings soared for the final episode of ''First Love'' on April 20, 1997, at a record 65.8%. Digital terrestrial broadcasts started in 2001, on LCN 7 at a national scale; analog broadcasts ended in 2012. Its signal was interrupted for a 20-minute period on the evening of October 14, 2006. KBS2 was granted a subchannel (7-2) in 2015.Programming
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. The channel also airs news, variety shows and '' Music Bank''.Network
Analog network (shut down in 2012): *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 45Kebit
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 KimSee also
* KBS1 * KBS News 24 * EBS1 * EBS2References
External links