On June 1, a media day event titled 'SBS Drama Media Day: Next Episode' was held at Hotel Naru Seoul MGallery in Mapo-gu, Seoul. The event featured Hong Seong-chang, CEO of Studio S, and Kim Gi-suk, SBS Programming Director.
During the event, SBS presented its achievements over the past six years since the launch of Studio S and revealed its drama lineup for the second half of 2026 through the first half of 2027. Since its inception, Studio S has established itself as a key production base for SBS dramas, delivering numerous hits such as 'Stove League,' 'Penthouse,' 'Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim,' 'Taxi Driver,' and 'Hot Blooded Priest.'
Hong highlighted the success of SBS's Friday-Saturday dramas, stating, "SBS's Friday-Saturday dramas are as solid as an impregnable fortress in the industry. The starting point was 'Hot Blooded Priest,' which was the first Friday-Saturday drama and received immense love. Since then, we have worked hard to dominate the Friday-Saturday drama slot and aimed to create a DNA of refreshing and enjoyable dramas."
SBS emphasized its core strategy of 'Series Power.' The network has leveraged the success of season-based hits like 'Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim,' 'Taxi Driver,' and 'Hot Blooded Priest' to expand characters and world-building, positioning this as a competitive advantage. Additionally, new seasons of proven hits like 'Good Partner,' 'Chaebol X Detective,' and 'Judge from Hell' are in the works.
Kim noted, "The key term in programming is Series Power. The reason this is possible and strong at SBS can be attributed to three factors: a solid world-building, unique characters, and the realization of common sense and justice." He added, "Characters and worlds that viewers can follow and root for, like the revenge agency Rainbow Transport in 'Taxi Driver' and Doldam Hospital in 'Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim,' are essential. Providing refreshing catharsis in a frustrating reality is the core of SBS's Series Power."
Regarding the success of season-based dramas, Hong mentioned the trust between the creative team and actors. He stated, "It must be something the viewers want, and the world-building must be expandable. The reason we can produce many season-based dramas is due to the strong trust between the production team and the actors. There are many cases where actors, directors, and writers are tightly knit on set."
SBS plans to maintain its strengths in Friday-Saturday dramas while expanding its weekday drama lineup. Kim remarked, "Starting with the success of 'Kiss for No Reason,' we have resumed weekday dramas. We need to increase the variety and challenge of dramas with the resumption of weekday programming in November." He continued, "We will implement a two-track strategy that maintains the representative identity of Friday-Saturday dramas while continuing to explore new genres like romantic comedies and sports themes."
The lineup for the second half of 2026 kicks off with 'Kim Manager,' set to premiere on June 26. Based on a Naver webtoon of the same name, 'Kim Manager' tells the story of an ordinary father who becomes the most dangerous man in the world to reclaim his only daughter. So Ji-sub stars as Kim Manager, a former agent who awakens his true self for his daughter.
'Chaebol X Detective' will also return for its second season, featuring the collaboration between the third-generation chaebol detective Jin Yi-soo, who returns to the violent crimes unit after completing formal training at the police academy, and the newly appointed team leader Joo Hye-ra. Ahn Bo-hyun and Jung Eun-chae star, with director Kim Jae-hong and writer Kim Ba-da reuniting from season one.
In October, 'Doctor X: The Era of the White Mafia,' based on the Japanese TV Asahi series, is set to air. This medical noir follows genius surgeon Gye Soo-jung as she navigates through a corrupt medical power structure. Kim Ji-won, Lee Jung-eun, Son Hyun-joo, and Kim Woo-seok are among the cast.
The highly-rated 'Good Partner' from last year is also returning for a second season. 'Good Partner 2' features the first divorce law firm representative attorney Cha Eun-kyung taking on new challenges with a new partner. Jang Na-ra reprises her role, joined by Kim Hye-yoon as the new partner.
Upcoming drama 'Nine to Six' is an office romance that centers on the head of the legal team, Kang Ji-suk, who proves himself through work, and intern Han Sun-woo, who uses kindness as his weapon, alongside department head Park Hyun-tae. Park Min-young, Yook Sung-jae, and Ko Soo are confirmed to star.
The 2027 lineup includes occult, legal detective, fantasy justice, and sports dramas. 'Awakening' tells the story of children who awaken strange abilities amid the hell of entrance exams and a priest who sets out to save them. Lee Joon-hyuk takes on his first leading role in the occult genre.
'There is a Chance' is a cheerful legal detective drama led by former lawyer and current office manager Kwon Baek, who turns losing battles into winning ones. Lee Je-hoon plays the quirky office manager Kwon Baek, while Ha Young plays rookie attorney Yeo Shim-hee.
'Nightmare' depicts a vigilante group that traps evildoers in nightmares instead of prison. Kim Nam-gil and Lee Yoo-mi star in this drama. 'Full Count' portrays the survival struggles in the sports battlefield over the position of a professional baseball coach, featuring Kim Rae-won and Park Hoon.
Collaboration with global OTT platforms was also highlighted as a key strategy. Hong stated, "Global OTT can be a competitor, but it is an indispensable platform for the globalization of dramas. We are continuing our strategy to showcase not only SBS dramas but also those produced by Studio S to audiences worldwide." He added, "We have produced four dramas for global OTT and launched works on other platforms. Studio S aims to create quality dramas not only for SBS but also for global audiences."
Kim also noted, "While there can be side effects from OTT collaboration, there are many positive aspects. For instance, 'Wonderful New World' was number one in ratings and also topped Netflix. It has the effect of being loved globally, which could have been limited to domestic audiences."
The use of AI technology was also a topic of discussion. Hong remarked, "AI is a hot topic in the industry. Initially, directors were resistant, but after training, the paradigm shifted. AI can be utilized in a way that supports creators rather than taking away their rights."
He explained, "In 'Taxi Driver,' we used AI for certain cuts, and we plan to showcase fully AI-generated footage briefly. This was created with the agreement of all production staff and creators. We intend to inform viewers about the use of AI through subtitles before the drama airs." He added, "The significance lies in being able to create scenes that were previously impossible to implement."
He also mentioned the cost-saving effects of AI. Hong stated, "We created a long segment of AI footage for 'Kim Manager,' achieving over 60% savings compared to production costs without AI. As these cases accumulate, they will enhance our competitiveness."
Hong identified the internal creative workforce as a key strength of Studio S. He stated, "The secret to maintaining SBS drama's competitiveness lies in the manpower of Studio S. New writers who have emerged through director and script competitions are collaborating closely in their creations. Studio S is referred to as a drama academy in the industry." Kim added, "The balance between external and internal talent is excellent."
SBS is pursuing a strategy that includes strengthening season-based IP, expanding genres, increasing weekday dramas, collaborating with OTT platforms, and integrating AI production technology, all based on its six consecutive years of leading ratings among viewers aged 20 to 49. The network aims to maintain the brand competitiveness established through its Friday-Saturday dramas while broadening its platforms and formats to adapt to the changing viewing environment. Attention is focused on whether the upcoming lineup from the second half of 2026 to 2027 will validate SBS's next strategy in drama production.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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