Add a sixth Koreanovela to GMA’s weekday lineup.
In what seems like a new record in Philippine television history, GMA will air six Koreanovelas every weekday beginning this Tuesday, August 4. The latest addition is ‘Reply 1997’, a Koreanovela that reminisces on the good times of teenage life.
The story focuses on six high school buddies who reunite for a dinner after 15 years apart, two of whom would announce their marriage. Throughout the story, flashbacks of their teenage lives will resurface throughout the conversation, switching back and forth between their 18-year-old selves in 1997, and their present selves 15 years later.
‘Reply 1997’ stars Jung Eun-ji, Seo In-guk, Hoya, Shin So-yul, Eun Ji-won, and Lee Si-eon. The series was one of the most popular dramas in Korean television.
The entry of ‘Reply 1997’ continues a downward trend for GMA in terms of programming quality and creativity. As mentioned earlier, GMA will air six Koreanovelas starting this Tuesday, the list of which are as follows:
- The Master’s Sun (re-run; airing at 9:40 a.m., replacing Secret Garden)
- Two Mothers (airing at 10:10 a.m.)
- The King’s Doctor (airing at 10:50 a.m.)
- Birth of a Beauty (airing at 5:15 p.m.)
- Reply 1997 (airing at 5:50 p.m. starting this Tuesday)
- Pinocchio (airing at 9:55 p.m. on Mondays-Thursdays)
With six Koreanovelas at their disposal, it is clear that GMA’s creative nadir is now at its worst point. The inability to produce formidable local programming and their overreliance on importing other countries’ programs are taking its toll on the creative staff.
Worse, ‘Reply 1997’ will face a tough opponent in ABS-CBN’s ‘Pasion de Amor’. The local adaptation of the original Colombian telenovela has been on a ratings tear, and it left its soon-to-be-departing opponent ‘My Mother’s Secret’ in the dust.
The breaking point is now near for GMA. Six Koreanovelas on a weekday won’t help their cause.
Note: ‘My Mother’s Secret’ was scheduled to end tomorrow, July 31. But due to a preemption that was caused by the State of the Nation Address last Monday, the series is now scheduled to finish on Monday, August 3. ‘Reply 1997”s premiere will be moved to Tuesday, August 4.
From the Tube 
GMA just wants to be stuck in the old practice of broadcasting (with a little bit of ‘modern help’ from social media by placing hashtags on the show). I guess for them, the old can still be considered new. Which is sometimes quite weird.
They’re still stuck with the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ mantra. Obviously they need to adapt to the times now.
Certainly. Social Media is like ‘not enough’ for GMA to adapt in to new things. They still need a lot of ‘learning experiences’ to face when it comes to new technologies (in terms of how should they use it often), new practices, and so many to think of (although they are still doing test broadcasts on Digital TV)
And (I guess) what makes them no. 1, their pride, care about their viewers (but not having care for their employees/talents [if I’m not mistaken]), non-membership from KBP, and everything else.
They’re only boasting. No. 1 on Nielsen by just a small margin isn’t going to help. And neither is their resistance to the evolution of viewers’ tastes.
this is a major WT* moment! I’m totally speechless. Konti n lng no. 2 na ang TV5
Malungkot isipin na anim na ang Koreanovelang umeere sa GMA. The production values are clearly on the decline.
kawawa nman ung mga artista nila tinggal na nga ang SAS, pati ibang slot binigay sa koreanobela. dpat lumipat na sila sa TAPE group at least stable.
Lipat na before it’s too late. Ang mga artista nila ay hindi safe sa Siyete ngayon. Baka matulad sa mga taga-TAG.
yep kaya nga di ko matawag tawag na Kapuso ung mga taga TAPE kasi if lumubog ang Siyete, they wont care. Makakalipat at makakalipat sila.
After all, blocktimers lang ang TAPE.
yep kaya nga di ko matawag tawag na Kapuso ung mga taga TAPE kasi if lumubog ang Siyete, they wont care. Makakalipat at makakalipat sila. 🙂
>‘Reply 1997”s premiere will be moved to Tuesday, August 4.
GMA premiered Pinocchio (starring Park Shin Hye) and King of Ambition not on a Monday. That’s a weird case.
GMA continues to cater to Koreanovela fans on a new level while ABS-CBN has no publicly announced plans to air new Koreanovelas.
That’s what I noted. The SONA running overtime really led to the change of premiere. Also, consider factors such as Holy Week and the presence of Bubble Gang on Fridays, that’s why the Koreanovelas in the late evening premiere on a day other than Monday.
And yes, if ABS is now without a Koreanovela due to PBB, it is GMA who is taking advantage of the situation. The problem is that there’s just too many Koreanovelas. ABS is doing a smart thing in populating their schedule with more local fare, while GMA is doing the opposite thanks to some creative drought.
Thanks a lot, Ms. Rasonable! Your steering in the Entertainment Department is now facing towards entertainment hegemony instead of balance.
Don’t blame us on Wowowin’s death or even Sunday All Stars’ crashing on its ground this Sunday — on which it will be taken over by TAPE called “Sunday Pinas Saya.”
Oh, it’s a revival of the meme, hence I should call: “All your afternoon are belong to us.” (All your base are belong to us.)
Ms. Rasonable has a new nickname: Kapuso Killer.
Lillyb**** Reasonable.
6 Koreanovelas. Too overdependent. Kulang na lang ang Korean variety shows, tiyak na puro Korean programming na sa GMA. Goodbye, money.
Next thing you know, may KBS at Arirang block na rin ang GMA should this go on and on.
I won’t be surprised if there will also be a CCTV block also on GMA.
Though, Chinese or Taiwanese dramas rarely air nowadays, unlike in the 90s at the height of Chinese Variety Show’s popularity.
It’s better to replace Reply 1997 to Jodha Akbar. Someday, Korean dramas will never be popular in the future.
What is Jodha Akbar? I don’t understand wha you’re saying.
Yung tinutukoy nyang Indian historical drama.
Yung leading lady pala dun ay nanalo ng Miss World noong 1994.
I think, sorry sa dami kong hearsays,
Oh well.
2008 Indian drama.
not 2008, but 2013 Indian drama series.
I don’t think an Indian drama will help. Korean expats are greater in number than Indians. The Korean explosion in Philippine has contributed to the arrival of these Korean expats.
Problem is, though, our local programming is being compromised, which is bad for GMA in general.
yeah. nagka-boring na. kaya’t di na ako masyadong nanuod ng TV. it’s just my observation.
GMA is at its worst shape since Rasonable took over, kaya nagkakaleche-leche na ang programming nila.
Hindi lang programming ang nagkakaleche-leche, pati na rin ang news department (producing an entertainment program), labor relations at PR department ng GMA, puro na problema. With the news na posibleng magexplore ng possible partnership between Ayala and GMA, siguro three strikes, you’re out na yan. Nangyari na yan kay MVP. Nangyari na yan ulit kay Ramon Ang.
GMA is now the rich man’s IBC 13.
It’s a sad reality indeed. It’s just too bad na hindi mapupunta sa mga foreign investors ang GMA, unlike the days of Uncle Bob Stewart.
Blame that on the constitutional prohibition that “foreigners are not allowed to wholly or partly own Filipino media companies.” But, dura lex sed lex.
That was the reason why Uncle Bob Stewart sold GMA to the Gozon, Jimenez and Duavit families in the first place. While the family’s partnership was successful at first, their questionable decisions would haunt them later on.
GMA has an advantage to take this, while ABS-CBN has only Angel Eyes as the only asianovela aired as of this moment.
The problem is, that’s too much Asianovelas for one network. Yun lang ang disadvantage since ABS solely focuses on local programming at this point.
Even the Korea Ambassador to the Philippines visited the GMA HQ and he commend GMA’s airing of Koreanovelas than span 13 years. Hmmmmm….
Expats pa more ang mangyayari diyan.
Dadami pa ang Korean expats, mostly Korean students na gustong matutong mag-Ingles. Dadami din ang mga turistang Koreano. As far as I have experienced, maraming Korean tourists sa Cebu when I was there for an educational tour two years ago.
May options na ang mga Koreano kung saan sila pupunta sa Pilipinas. May Manila, Clark, Kalibo at Cebu naman as gateways.
Back to GMA, tiyak na magiging overdependent na sila sa Korean programming in the next few years. Kulang na lang ang shows like Music Bank and The Return of Superman ng KBS.
Yes indeed. A Korean program block on GMA should attract some Korean expat viewers, which are growing.
My guess is that GMA is relying too much on Koreanovelas because the network is losing money on producing their own soaps. Kaya nga they’re relying on blocktimers like Tony Tuviera and Willie Revillame to salvage their situation.
Not just soaps, but self-produced entertainment programs in general. Unlike ABS who’s standing pat and limiting their imported programs.
Well, it’s just like in the old days when the then-new GMA Radio-Television Arts had to rely on much American programming and blocktimers (for local productions), and with those, income came, and by 1986, GMA was able to produce shows of their own. Take note that when GMA Radio-Television Arts was first launched, its predecessor, RBS 7, was already in the red then.
Martial Law, of course, became the root of GMA’s problem then, which is why Uncle Bob Stewart had to cease control in favor of the Gozon-Jimenez-Duavit trio. It’s a different story now with democracy prevailing in our country, and yet, GMA is back where they were in the mid-70s: a struggling network with an uncertain future.