Shocking programming shake-up: JTBC abruptly announced a short-term halt to several variety shows, officially citing reruns of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America. But with the network’s recent debt default crisis looming large, the move is already sparking speculation and controversy.
On the 23rd, JTBC stated, "The broadcasts scheduled for the 24th and 25th—Han Moon-chul's Dashcam Review and the talk-and-debate show History Con Artists: Storytellers of History—will be on hiatus due to scheduling for the 2026 FIFA World Cup."
As a result, the time slot for Han Moon-chul's Dashcam Review at 8:50 p.m. on the 24th will air a rerun of a 2026 FIFA World Cup group-stage match. At 7:50 p.m. on the 25th, the morning’s Korea vs. South Africa match will be rebroadcast.
JTBC framed the pause as an adjustment for World Cup coverage. However, because these are reruns rather than live broadcasts replacing regular programming, industry chatter is growing that this could reflect fallout from the recent financial turmoil surrounding JTBC and other JoongAng Group affiliates.
Earlier, on June 12, JTBC failed to repay 20.6 billion won in securitized borrowings by the deadline and declared a debt default. On June 14, JoongAng Holdings (the group’s parent company), along with ContentreeJoongAng, JoongAng P&I, and Megabox JoongAng, filed for court receivership, and JTBC submitted its own rehabilitation petition on the 15th.
At the time, JTBC said, "We will mobilize every possible measure to resolve this situation as quickly as possible with a sense of responsibility," adding that news programming and major sports broadcasts would continue to operate normally.
Meanwhile, the upcoming JTBC drama Rediscovery of Love, slated for the second half of this year, reportedly halted filming for about a month. The production team said the move aims to improve script quality, yet back-to-back shifts in scheduling and production are fueling even more buzz across the industry.
With JTBC pushing ahead with World Cup coverage and reruns, all eyes are now on whether its flagship variety shows and dramas will return to air on schedule.