JTBC, the exclusive broadcaster of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in South Korea, failed to live broadcast the country's first gold medal moment.

On the early morning of the 13th, Choi Ga-on scored 90.25 points in the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Livigno Snowpark in Italy, surpassing Chloe Kim's 88.00 points to claim the top spot.

This gold medal marks the first for the South Korean team at the event and is also the first Winter Olympic gold in the history of Korean skiing. At 17 years old, Choi Ga-on set a new record as the youngest gold medalist.

However, this moment was not broadcasted live on JTBC. The network covered Choi's first run live but switched to short track coverage afterward. Choi's third run and the moment her gold medal was confirmed were only broadcasted on JTBC's sports channel, with the main channel providing updates via subtitles.

Industry estimates suggest that JTBC invested approximately 300 billion won to secure Olympic broadcasting rights through 2032. Including the 2030 World Cup, the cost of broadcasting rights exceeds 600 billion won. Despite the significant investment to secure exclusive Winter Olympics broadcasting rights, JTBC faced backlash from viewers for missing the gold medal moment.

Viewers expressed their disappointment, saying, "We missed an epic moment," "The company was too greedy," and "This Olympic coverage is the worst."

Tae Yuna, TenAsia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr
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