Saturday Night Live Korea
South Korean adaptation of the American sketch comedy series.
Saturday Night Live Korea (SNLK) is a South Korean late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show adapted from the American series Saturday Night Live. Originally broadcast by tvN from 2011 to 2017, it was revived in 2021 by the streaming platform Coupang Play. The show is produced under license from SNL Studios and Broadway Video, with executive producers Lorne Michaels and Jennifer Danielson.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Sketch comedy
- Comedy
- Variety
- Stand-up comedy
- Creator
- Lorne Michaels
- Director
- Ahn Sang-hwi
- Yoo Sung-mo
- Kwon Sung-wook
- Creative director
- Song Chang-ui (Season 4), Jang Jin (Season 1, 2, 3)
- Presenter
- Shin Dong-yup (de facto)
- Starring
- (see cast)
- Opening theme
- SNL theme song, Common Ground
- Country
- South Korea
Facts from the source article.
History
The show was officially announced on November 24, 2011, at a roundtable press conference in Cheongdam-dong, with filmmaker and playwright Jang Jin serving as writer and director. The original cast consisted of 17 members: Jang Jin, Ahn Young-mi, Lee Han-wi, Jung Woong-in, Kim Bin-woo, Jang Young-nam, Kim Won-hae, Lee Hae-young, Lee Chul-min, Lee Sang-hoon, Park Joon-seo, Kim Ji-young, Kim Ji-kyung, Min Seo-hyun, Han Seo-jin, Ko Kyung-pyo, and Kim Seul-gi. The premiere episode on December 3, 2011, was hosted by actor Kim Joo-hyuk. Jang Jin, then showrunner and head writer, described difficulties in recruiting guests, stating that he had to beg and even offered his next movie script to persuade people to appear. The first season ran for eight episodes from December 3, 2011, to January 21, 2012. The second season, also eight episodes, aired from May 26 to July 14, 2012, with a partially changed cast. The third season ran from September 8 to November 15, 2012, for seventeen episodes. The fourth season, which ran from February 2 to November 23, 2013, for 38 episodes, saw Jay Park and Park Eun-ji join as regular cast members, while Jang Jin, Ko Kyung-pyo, and Oh Cho-hee left. Later in the season, Choi Il-gu, Yoo Se-yoon, 2EYES, and Clara were added. The fifth season aired from March 1, 2014, to November 29, 2014, for 35 episodes.
Format and segments
The Korean version follows a format similar to the American show, with a host, cast members, and several skits per episode. Weekend Update, a news sketch reviewing weekly social, economic, and cultural issues, was anchored by Jang Jin in seasons 1 through 3. Its sub-segment Wise Search for Life satirizes top headlines and events, with voice narration by Kim Seul-gi. Another sub-segment, Dispatch SNL, features live interviews by correspondent Kwon Hyeok-su. SNL Invitation involves the episode's host or a cast member in a situation related to the week's events. Lee Oung-don PD's Eatable X-File, a parody of a Channel A program, features Shin Dong-yup as Production Director Lee Oung-don taking food from cast members to judge its edibility. Sa-gwa Shilup is an occasional skit presented in a business presentation style, moderated by Shin Dong-yup in attire resembling Steve Jobs.
Ratings
The second season ended on July 14, 2012, with Super Junior hosting. It was their first non-music show appearance promoting their album Sexy, Free & Single, and it earned a 1.334% national rating. On December 1, 2012, season three's thirteenth episode, hosted by Jay Park, scored a 1.54% national rating with a 1.85% peak. It hit 1.04% among viewers aged 20 to 49 and 1.96% with a 2.49% peak for women in their 40s, topping its time slot in both groups.
Season 8 controversies
Near the end of Season 8 in 2016, a behind-the-scenes video featuring boy band B1A4 showed female staff members groping the band members' genitals. The video was removed from Facebook and an apology issued. Subsequently, boy bands INFINITE and Block B posted videos on Twitter under the hashtag 'SNL_성추행' (SNL sexual harassment), stating such behavior was common on the show. A sexual assault case was filed against comedian Lee Se-young but charges were dropped. The show also faced criticism for a sketch joking about actress Um Aing-ran's chest after she had undergone breast cancer surgery; the actress portraying her, Jung Yi-rang, apologized. Season 8 ended on December 24, 2016, with tvN stating the show would return with a new image.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes of Saturday Night Live Korea are there?
Saturday Night Live Korea has 277 episodes.
When did Saturday Night Live Korea end?
Saturday Night Live Korea last aired on 18 November 2017.
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