The network tvN made an announcement that they will be making changes to their scheduling in order to adjust to the changing lifestyle patterns of viewers!
This February 3, tvN announced the changes that will be implemented in March 2020. The change was patterned on the 52-hour workweek which means that people get off work earlier and it made changes in time slots that viewers are tuning in to watch TV.
Significant changes include how the time slots have been assigned depending on targeted viewers and genres for drama. tvN will be doing their best to obtain a strong showing in weekday variety shows.
The Monday-Tuesday dramas will be moved up to show at 9 p.m. KST which is 30 minutes earlier than the current 9:30 p.m. KST time slot.
The dramas that will air will focus on a wide variety of selected audiences. The very first drama on the line is "Half of Half" that will be starred by Jung Hae In, Chae Soo Bin, Lee Ha Na, and Kim Sung Kyu. This drama will start on March 23, 2020. It will show the story of two lead characters, an artificial intelligence programmer named Ha Won and classical music engineer Seo Woo.
The Wednesday-Thursday dramas will be changed from the 9:30 p.m. KST timeslot to the 10:50 p.m. KST. The drama "Memorist" is scheduled to premiere on March 11. The story is based on a webtoon of the same title. The drama will tell the story of a detective having supernatural powers and an elite profiler. Both characters will meet and they will hunt down a serial killer.
Starting this March, viewers will be able to watch variety shows on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9 p.m. KST.
"You Quiz on the Block" is already scheduled to make it come back with a brand new season this March 11. This show was previously aired at 11 p.m. KST and it has now been moved up two hours answering to the viewers' requests for the show to air earlier.
"Doctor Playbook" (working title) an upcoming drama of the network which will be directed by (PD) Shin Won Ho is set to air on March 12, 2020. This drama will show air every Thursday at 9 p.m. KST. The story of this drama will follow the lives of those in the medical field and their experience on the ordinary but extraordinary days in a hospital.
Right after the drama finishes, tvN will schedule a variety show in the time slot and they are planning to take turns between the variety shows and the dramas that air once a week.
The director of planning at the CJ ENM media contents division, Lee Ki Hyuk explained that as the media environment continues to change faster, they are trying their very best to break the traditional way time slots are made and they believe that a more flexible strategy is needed. And he added that they hope that through the new changes, they can cater to more viewers and create a greater variety of content for everyone to enjoy.
