KBS announced its new program lineup for 2025 with a major spring reorganization aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of its entertainment and drama content, marking the 52nd anniversary of the company. The new entertainment programs boast a glamorous lineup featuring prominent cast members such as Kang Ho-dong, Park Bo-gum, and Lee Min-jung, while the drama department showcased a variety of projects that traverse sitcoms and blockbusters. In particular, the drama will feature actors Ma Dong-seok and Lee Young-ae, who have rarely been seen in dramas, taking on leading roles in 'Twelve' and 'The Good Days of Eun-soo,' raising viewers' expectations.
First, KBS2 entertainment aims to capture the 2049 younger audience with killer content. With high-profile figures such as Kang Ho-dong, Park Bo-gum, and Lee Min-jung as new hosts, the program is putting all efforts into strengthening its competitive edge.
▲ Quiz talk show 'Study and Nolbu' with children
The new program 'Study and Nolbu,' hosted by national MC Kang Ho-dong, is a quiz talk show where celebrity parents tackle their children's learning issues. By comparing the school days of the parent generation with current education, it facilitates communication through quizzes. Kang Ho-dong, a trusted MC, presents the everyday lives and concerns of elementary school students in an engaging manner. 'Study and Nolbu' will be aired on KBS2 every Monday night at 9:50 p.m., starting March 31.
▲ The return of the signature knowledge talk program 'Problematic Youths of the Attic'
'Problematic Youths of the Attic,' loved by viewers for seven years since 2018, returns with a stronger cast and a more solid structure. Existing hosts Song Eun-yi, Kim Sook, and Kim Jong-kook will be joined by new members Hong Jin-kyung, Yang Se-chan, and Joo Woo-jae, who will engage in a battle of wits, contrasting the stability of long-time MCs with the dynamic chemistry of the new MCs. 'Problematic Youths of the Attic' will air every Thursday night at 8:30 p.m., starting April 3.
▲ Lee Young-pyo and Lee Chan-won with futsal~??
The futsal challenge of football legends who both kick balls and donate, titled 'Ballunteer' (Ball + Volunteer), will be organized as a regular program. Having started as a YouTube original program and gained acclaim from 2049 viewers through a special pilot during the Lunar New Year, it has confidently established itself as KBS's representative sports entertainment program. Viewers will join Lee Young-pyo, a KBS commentator, and a group of legendary football players averaging 40 years in age in a futsal game, complete with commentary by the insightful Lee Chan-won. The first broadcast will be on April 5 at 10:40 p.m. on KBS2.
▲ Healing rural reality show 'Kindness is Coming'
The icon of donations and good deeds, top actor Lee Min-jung, will host a heartwarming 'rural observation reality' program. 'Kindness is Coming' will deliver a mobile store filled with necessities to a rural village, spending a night and sharing various stories. The healing entertainment program is set to premiere on May 23 at 10 p.m.
In addition, existing programs will return with new looks through schedule changes and host replacements. The seventh season of 'The Seasons' will for the first time welcome actor Park Bo-gum, not a singer, as its host, with a title 'Park Bo-gum's Cantabile,' promising in-depth music talk. The representative public comedy program of Korea, 'Gag Concert,' will change its airing time to Sundays at 9:20 p.m. starting March 16, aiming to secure viewer ratings after hot responses and attention on YouTube. 'Let's Live Together with Park Won-suk' will also change its broadcast day and will meet viewers every Monday night at 8:30 p.m. starting March 31.
KBS's top priority for drama in 2025 is to align more closely with the viewers' expectations by being 'younger and faster.' By tentpole programming a variety of genres, from light-hearted sitcoms to blockbuster dramas, KBS aims to draw closer to the audience. To respond to the changing viewing habits of the audience, flexible scheduling strategies that span weekdays and weekends will be implemented.
▲ Comedy sitcom 'Villain's Country'
The first drama ready for broadcast is the sitcom 'Villain's Country.' This situational comedy captures the occasionally rough yet warm lives of K-sisters and a quirky family. Young actors such as Oh Na-ra, So Yoo-jin, and Choi Ye-na, known for their solid acting skills, will charm viewers with their lively and unique performances. The new KBS2 sitcom 'Villain's Country' is set to premiere on March 19 at 9:50 p.m.
▲ Comic romance '24-hour health club'
As spring arrives, a comic romance drama is also awaited to bring laughter and excitement. '24-hour Health Club' deals with sweet episodes occurring between a health-obsessed gym owner and the club members. The show's beloved comic icon Jung Eun-ji and Lee Joon-young will deliver thrilling fun. Slated to premiere following 'Villain's Country' on April 30 at 9:50 p.m.
▲ Romance fantasy 'I stole the male lead's first night'
'I Stole the Male Lead's First Night' is a romance drama based on a web novel featuring an ordinary female college student's soul inhabiting a minor character in a romance story, spending a night with the protagonist. It is receiving expectations from romance fans with a fresh lineup of actors Seo Hyun and Ok Taec-yeon. The premiere is scheduled for June.
▲ Fantasy action blockbuster 'Twelve'
The series 'Twelve,' inspired by the 12 zodiac signs of the East, depicts the story of 12 angels living in the human world in human form to protect humans from evil spirits. As a fantasy action blockbuster featuring a massive battle against a horde of evil trying to awaken sealed powers, the main character is actor Ma Dong-seok. The large-scale blockbuster 'Twelve,' which KBS is dramatically scheduling, has piqued the global audience's attention even before its airing with a glamorous lineup that includes not only Ma Dong-seok but also Park Hyung-sik, Seo In-guk, Sung Dong-il, and Lee Ju-bin. The first episode is expected to air in August 2025.
▲ Human thriller drama 'The Good Days of Eun-soo'
The human crime drama 'The Good Days of Eun-soo' begins with a mysterious and precarious partnership between a parent and a teacher that started with a bag discovered by chance. It's a work featuring actress Lee Young-ae, who is returning to KBS drama after 26 years, marked by realistic yet unique characters and narratives, making it a highly anticipated project in the second half of the year. The unlikely partnership between parent Lee Young-ae and teacher Kim Young-gwang, who seem to have nothing in common, unravels an intriguing story as they are pursued by Park Yong-woo, the Head of Team of the drug squad. 'The Good Days of Eun-soo' is scheduled to air in October.
In 2025, KBS dramas will transition from the fixed programming of existing Wednesday-Thursday dramas to flexible scheduling that spans weekdays and weekends. Aiming to adapt to changes in audience viewing habits, they plan to target the prime viewing times on weekends as well. A KBS programming official noted that they are revealing 'a colorful lineup with more youth, offering a diverse range of content for viewers to 'choose and enjoy.'
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