Seoul, Korea – CJ E&M successfully began airing the fifth season of Saturday Night Life Korea (SNL Korea) on its general entertainment channel tvN on March 1. With a production strategy focused on the regular refinement of show content to match the tastes of Korean viewers, CJ E&M’s adaptation of the iconic American comedy show has been a benchmark example of the successful localisation of overseas content for the Korean market. The season five premiere was the top-rated show in its time slot among pay-TV channel programmes, and also the number one show among female fans (teens to 40s).
Since first airing in Korea in December 2011, the arrival of America’s longest-running live comedy show has infused fresh air and changed the climate of Korean media with its hilarious and satirical portrayals of social and political issues. SNL Korea‘s humorous discussions of adult-themed topics have been viewed as bold and progressive, winning a following among a younger generation of Korean viewers. Special appearances by K-Pop idol celebrity hosts “letting their hair down” for the show have also generated strong buzz and attention.
SNL Korea
“What’s been so exciting about working on SNL Korea is the process of taking a beloved comedy programme and constantly brainstorming and coming up with creative new ways to localise the show to the Korean market,” said Ahn Sang-whi, Chief Producer of the programme. “As SNL Korea enters its fifth season, which coincides with the celebration of the show’s 40th anniversary in the U.S., we’ve prepared diverse improvements to entertain and engage viewers even better.”
This season, SNL Korea will introduce various enhancements that bring the excitement of the show even closer to viewers, as well as leverage Korean’s advanced digital environment. For instance, to enhance interaction with viewers, the show will begin accepting fan questions via SNS. Also, in a redesign of the studio, the physical distance between stage and audience has been reduced, and the number of seats doubled. A modification to the popular “Weekend Update” segment, “People Update”, will also be introduced involving more interaction with the host. The new season will also include more storylines tailored for female viewers. Season five of SNL Korea also welcomes Narsha of K-Pop group Brown Eyed Girls to the crew.
CJ E&M has actively acquired and effectively localised various overseas formats for the Korean market including Project Runway, America’s Top Model, MasterChef, and Top Gear.
