‘Chuseok at Home’ roundup: Lee Seung-chul’s KBS concert, ‘The Man Who Lives With the King’ TV premiere, Hana Bank-invited national team soccer, Lee Eun-gyeol magic ...!

Lee Seung-chul’s 40th anniversary and ‘The Man Who Lives With the King’ — TV’s first exclusive Chuseok premieres

16.92 million-viewer blockbuster airs on Sept. 26 as Wavve and Netflix face off with original releases

This year’s Chuseok holiday lineup is packed with must-see programming, from a massive concert marking the 40th anniversary of ‘Lee Seung-chul’’s debut to the TV premiere of ‘The Man Who Lives With the King’, a megahit that drew 16.92 million moviegoers. Ahead of the four-day holiday break beginning Sept. 24, major broadcast networks and over-the-top (OTT) platforms have finalized bold programming schedules designed to capture viewers’ attention.

Return of the masters brings live concerts into viewers’ homes

The holiday begins with spectacular live performances by masters who have shaped South Korean popular music. KBS 2TV has scheduled a three-part special centered on ‘Lee Seung-chul’, the ‘emperor of live music’, as he marks the 40th anniversary of his debut. On Sept. 24, the music show ‘Never Ending Story — Lee Seung-chul’, recorded at Inspire Arena, comes to viewers’ homes. Actor ‘Park Bo-gum’ will make a surprise appearance as the pianist, adding a special celebratory performance.

Channel A will air the live concert ‘Boohwal 40th Anniversary Concert in Seoul: A Legend of Korean Rock’ on Sept. 26, featuring the band ‘Boohwal’, which has been part of Korean rock history. KBS 1TV will also air ‘Master Singer Lee Chun-hee’s Chuseok Grand Feast’ on Sept. 25, a traditional music performance designed to appeal across generations. On Sept. 24 and 25, it will add ‘2026 K-Classical Song Superstar,’ a competition featuring foreign classical singers performing Korean art songs.

Visual spectacle: Illusion performances set to dazzle holiday viewers

Unconventional performances that break from the mold of traditional music shows will also pique viewers’ curiosity. SBS is highlighting ‘The Lee Eun-gyeol — Chuseok Special Magic Concert,’ which takes audiences into a wondrous world of illusion. The distinctive magic show is expected to deliver a visual spectacle that will immediately capture the attention of the entire family on the holiday evening.

The holiday’s movie lineup is equally impressive. SBS will air ‘The Man Who Lives With the King,’ director Jang Hang-jun’s megahit that surpassed 16.92 million admissions to become the second-highest-grossing film in South Korean box-office history. The film will air exclusively at 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 26, marking its first television broadcast and turning living rooms into movie theaters.

From 10-million-viewer films to blockbusters, a front-row theater at home

tvN has lined up a slate of major releases, including the expanded version of the acclaimed film ‘No Other Choice’, as well as Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) blockbusters ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ and ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ From Sept. 25 through 27, EBS will air beloved classics including ‘The Sound of Music,’ ‘The Bourne Supremacy’ and ‘Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow,’ appealing to the nostalgia of classic-film fans.

Live friendlies and a fierce battle among OTT originals

Broadcasters have also prepared extensive coverage of national team A-matches to keep sports fans on the edge of their seats. tvN will bring Hana Bank-invited national team soccer friendlies live to viewers’ homes. ‘South Korea vs. Ecuador’ will kick off at 8 p.m. on Sept. 24, followed by ‘South Korea vs. Uruguay’ at 8 p.m. on Sept. 28, with the two matches expected to heighten the holiday excitement.

OTT platforms are also engaged in a fierce battle for original-content supremacy during the long holiday, offering viewers entertainment without the constraints of time or place. ‘Wavve’ will exclusively release the film ‘The Witness,’ starring ‘Ryu Seung-ryong’ and ‘Ha Ji-won,’ on Sept. 23, presenting a weighty family saga. On Sept. 21, it will also launch ‘Strange — Junji Ito’s Sleepless Gruesome Stories,’ a live-action adaptation of 13 short stories by horror manga master Junji Ito, drawing the attention of genre fans.

Wavve also hopes to attract new subscribers with an aggressive promotion offering episodes 1 through 3 of its original survival series ‘The Community 2: The Invisible Hand’ free on YouTube. Global platform ‘Netflix’ is aiming to expand its share of Chuseok home viewing with ‘Scandal,’ its most anticipated original series of the second half of the year, and season two of the variety show ‘Gian’s Chaotic Guesthouse,’ which promises raw, unfiltered laughs.