The cancellation of long-running music shows Sketchbook and Concert 7080 on KBS comes as a shock to the Korean entertainment industry.
An exclusive report from The Fact on February 15 revealed that popular late-night music show Yoo Hee Yeol’s Sketchbook will be ending in March after over 7 years of continuous broadcasting. A similar live show, Concert 7080, has been airing since 2004 and will also be coming to an end.
One official cited the following reason for canceling the programs:
“The shows have low ratings and do not bring in much ad revenue. We may look to bring the shows back in a seasonal format, but it is unclear if and when they will be able to be brought back.”
A KBS Entertainment representative also added,
“No matter what the public broadcast program is, there is a minimum standard to viewer ratings and advertising revenue that must be met. In terms of efficiency, we will be saving on production costs and taking into account the late time-slot, we can see similar returns through rebroadcasting documentaries.”
— KBS Entertainment Representative
Sketchbook has become widely popular within the K-Pop community as fans are able to not only hear their favorite artists sing live, but they are also able to participate in talk segments and hear revealing thoughts that they may not be able to elsewhere. The show was also known for showcasing a variety of different music genres often not seen on other music shows, allowing fans to experience fresh and new music.
Re-watch some of the most popular Sketchbook performances below.
Source: The Fact
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