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JTBC (an acronym from Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company; Korean: 제이티비씨; stylized in all lowercase) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network, whose primary shareholder is JoongAng Holdings with a 25% stake.[1] Launched on December 1, 2011,[2] JTBC is a generalist channel, with programming consisting of television series, variety shows, and news broadcasting. Its news division is held in similar regard to the three main terrestrial networks in South Korea.[3]

When launched in 2011, JTBC was one of four new South Korean nationwide generalist cable TV networks, the other three being The Dong-A Ilbo's Channel A, The Chosun Ilbo's TV Chosun, and Maeil Business Newspaper's MBN.[4][5][6][7][8] These networks serve as supplementary networks to the existing conventional free-to-air TV networks like KBS, MBC, SBS and the other smaller channels launched following deregulation in 1990.

History

See also: Tongyang Broadcasting Company

The origins of the network can be traced back to 1964, when the newspaper JoongAng Ilbo, then a part of Samsung, founded the Tongyang Broadcasting Corporation (TBC). JoongAng Ilbo ran the network for 16 years until it was forced by the military regime of Chun Doo-hwan to merge with the state-run KBS in 1980.

At its founding in 2011, some media analysts considered the return of JoongAng Ilbo to television via JTBC as the reincarnation of TBC.[9] Indeed, JoongAng Ilbo had wanted to reuse the name Tongyang Broadcasting Corporation but was unable to because Taegu Broadcasting Corporation has held the rights to the acronym “TBC” in South Korea since 1994.

Timeline

  • June 26, 1964: Tongyang Broadcasting Corporation launches.
  • December 7, 1964: TBC-TV starts broadcasting on channel 7.
  • November 30, 1980: TBC-TV merges with KBS Television under a special law of Chun Doo-hwan, president of the military authorities, resulting in the launch of KBS 2TV.
  • July 22, 2009: Amendment of the media law passed by the national assembly in order to deregulate the media market in South Korea. A response from the South Korean government to the Chojoongdong (the major media conglomerates of The Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, and The Dong-A Ilbo), which were aiming to launch the cable market.[10]
  • December 31, 2010: JTBC, TV Chosun, MBN, and Channel A selected as “general cable television channel broadcasters”.
  • March 11, 2011: JoongAng Ilbo establishes the JTBC corporation.[11]
  • December 1, 2011: JTBC starts broadcasting on channel 15.[12]
  • May 2013: Former MBC news anchor Sohn Suk-hee designated as JTBC’s new president of its news division.[13]
  • January 2015: JTBC constructs a new building in Digital Media City in Sangam-dong, Seoul.
  • November 2018: Sohn Suk-hee promoted to JTBC’s president and CEO.[14]
  • June 2019: JTBC acquires the Korean rights to the Olympic Games from 2026 to 2032.[15]
  • April 2020: JTBC moves its newscasts to Creation Hall, starting with JTBC Newsroom, with its other programs following suit on May 18.[16]
  • June 2021: JTBC buys a majority stake in production company Wiip from Creative Artists Agency (CAA).[17]

Programs

Main article: List of programs broadcast by JTBC

Drama

Currently airing TV series
Airtime Program Original title Start date
22:40 on Saturdays and 22:30 on Sundays (KST) Reborn Rookie 신입사원 강회장 May 30, 2026

Variety

Currently airing variety shows
Airtime Program Original title Start date
Monday at 20:50 (KST) Talk Correspondent 25 O’Clock 톡파원 25시 February 2, 2022 (2022-02-02)
Tuesday at 20:50 (KST) Hidden Singer Season 8 히든싱어 December 21, 2012
Tuesday at 22:30 (KST) I Can’t Do It Alone 혼자는 못 해 January 13, 2026 (2026-01-13)
Thursday at 22:30 (KST) Divorce Camp 이혼숙려캠프 August 15, 2024 (2024-08-15)
Saturday at 19:10 (KST) Yes Man 예스맨 January 17, 2026 (2026-01-17)
Saturday at 21:00 (KST) Knowing Bros 아는 형님 December 5, 2015 (2015-12-05)
Sunday at 21:00 (KST) Please Take Care of My Refrigerator 냉장고를 부탁해 November 17, 2014 (2014-11-17)
Sunday at 22:30 (KST) Fying Ari 날아라 병아리 March 22, 2026

Viewership ratings

  • The table below lists the top 10 cable dramas ranked by average national audience share ratings.
Ranking Drama Episodes Highest Nielsen Korea
Nationwide Rating 		Date Airing Period
1 The World of the Married 16 28.371%[18] May 16, 2020 Fridays and Saturdays
2 Reborn Rich 16 26.948%[19] December 25, 2022 Fridays to Sundays
3 Sky Castle 20 23.779%[20] February 1, 2019 Fridays and Saturdays
4 Doctor Cha 16 18.546%[21] June 4, 2023 Saturdays and Sundays
5 Itaewon Class 16 16.548%[22] March 21, 2020 Fridays and Saturdays
6 Agency 16 16.044% February 26, 2023 Saturdays and Sundays
7 King the Land 16 13.789% August 6, 2023 Saturdays and Sundays
8 The Tale of Lady Ok 16 13.575% November 30, 2024 Saturdays and Sundays
9 Welcome to Samdal-ri 16 12.399% January 21, 2024 Saturdays and Sundays
10 The Lady in Dignity 20 12.065% August 19, 2017 Fridays and Saturdays
  • 「Ratings」data sourced from Nielsen Korea nationwide rating of cable channel, with the inclusion of occasional advertisement

Subsidiaries

Name Description
JTBC Plus Operates the JTBC’s specialty cable channels, JTBC2, JTBC Sports, JTBC4 and JTBC Golf
Publishes Ilgan Sports since 2015
JTBC Mediatech
SLL
(formerly JTBC Content Hub and JTBC Studios)		 Provides in-house drama and film production
Subsidiaries include Drama House [ko], Zium Content, BA Entertainment, Film Monster Co. and Perfect Storm Film
JTBC Mediacomm Conducts broadcast advertising sales on behalf of JTBC, JTBC Plus and Baduk TV

Awards

Year Award Category Recipient Result Ref.
2019 23rd Asian Television Awards Cable & Satellite Network of the Year award JTBC Won [23]

See also

References

  1. ^ Choi, Hee-jin (January 3, 2011). 종편 주주 현황 어떻게. Kyunghyang Shinmun (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  2. ^ Shin, Hae-in (November 30, 2011). “New cable channels go on air”. The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  3. ^ “South Korea country profile”. BBC News. October 19, 2011. Archived from the original on January 27, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  4. ^ Kim, Tong-hyung (December 12, 2011). “What else can new channels do to boost ratings?”. The Korea Times. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  5. ^ Noh, Hyun-gi (January 4, 2012). “Four new TV channels face uncertain futures”. The Korea Times. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  6. ^ Yoon, Ja-young (January 20, 2012). “Low ratings weigh on new channels”. The Korea Times. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  7. ^ Kim, Tong-hyung (June 2, 2012). “New channels remain ‘anonymous’“. The Korea Times. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  8. ^ Kim, Tong-hyung (November 29, 2012). “New TV channels are niche, not gold mine”. The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  9. ^ “Four New TV Broadcasting Networks Debut in S. Korea”. Gold Sea. Archived from the original on June 19, 2020. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  10. ^ Kim, Chyun-hyo (February 26, 2016). Samsung, Media Empire and Family. London: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781315669045. ISBN 9781315669045.
  11. ^ JTBC: 고객센터 (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 26, 2015.
  12. ^ “A fresh start by JTBC”. Korea JoongAng Daily. December 7, 2011. Retrieved June 2, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  13. ^ Kim, Hee-jin; Han, Eun-hwa (May 11, 2013). “JTBC chooses news chief”. Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved May 23, 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  14. ^ 손석희 JTBC 사장, 대표이사로 승격…홍정도 중앙일보 대표는 발행인 겸해. The Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). November 19, 2018. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  15. ^ “JTBC awarded Olympic Games broadcast rights in North and South Korea from 2026 until 2032”. Inside the Games. June 4, 2019. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  16. ^ 중앙일보와 JTBC, 상암시대 열다…15일 창조관 기공식. JTBC (in Korean). November 15, 2017. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  17. ^ Lee, Wendy (June 1, 2021). “CAA to sell majority stake in production firm to South Korea’s JTBC Studios Co”. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  18. ^ ‘부부의 세계’, 비지상파 최고 시청률 28%로 마무리. Hankook Ilbo (in Korean). May 17, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  19. ^ ‘재벌집 막내아들’ 시청률 26.9%로 종영…’SKY캐슬’ 뛰어넘었다. 이투데이 (in Korean). December 26, 2022. Archived from the original on December 26, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  20. ^ 드라마 ‘SKY캐슬’, 시청률 23.8% 케이블 사상 최고 기록 경신. The Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). February 2, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  21. ^ ‘닥터차정숙’ 엄정화, 전문의로 인생 리부팅 성공…18.5% 자체 최고 시청률 종영. News1 (in Korean). June 6, 2023. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  22. ^ “`이태원 클라쓰` 16회 자체 시청률 기록하며 종영”. Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). March 22, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  23. ^ JTBC, 대상·’미스티’ 김남주 최우수 포함 ATA 첫 4관왕 영예. Naver News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved January 14, 2019.