KBS's 'Morning Forum' Revamps After 35 Years: Emphasizing Viewer Engagement, Entertainment, and Digital Expansion

KBS 1TV's long-running program 'Morning Forum' is undergoing a major revamp after 35 years, focusing on 'viewer participation', 'entertainment', and 'digital expansion'.

Starting from the 30th, KBS will implement a new format for each day of the week and strengthen its digital content as part of the 'Morning Forum' revamp. This change is based on thorough data analysis. According to a program perception survey conducted by KBS in February 2026 with 600 viewers aged 40 to 70, the top complaint was that the show was 'boring and uninteresting'. Other concerns included a lack of diversity among guests and a demand for enhanced informational and digital accessibility.

The KBS production team stated, "We humbly accept the viewers' candid feedback and aim to reinvent the show with a focus on 'viewers', 'entertainment', and 'digital'."

The revamp strategy is centered around three main directions. First, the principle of 'creating with viewers' has led to a significant increase in participatory segments where viewers can appear on the show. Using the app 'T-Bot' and ARS, the show will enhance existing interactive communication channels for story submissions, opinion sharing, real-time voting, and quiz participation.

Second, the strategy of 'adding fun to inspiration' aims to enhance entertainment value. The show will move away from its traditional talk show format, introducing differentiated entertainment formats for each day, such as couple exploration (Monday), celebrity talk show (Tuesday), and variety quiz show (Friday). While maintaining authenticity in addressing viewers' lives, the show intends not to miss out on 'visual entertainment'.

Third, with the goal of 'bridging TV and digital', the show will strengthen its digital content. Through these three innovations, KBS aims to maintain a 5% viewership rating and enter the top 50 in buzz rankings.

The distinct themes for each day's segment have been clarified, and star panelists optimized for each day have joined, raising expectations. The hidden card of this revamp is the main MC, anchor Um Ji-in's dramatic transformation. As a flagship KBS anchor who has long been a part of 'Morning Forum', she will present a dignified hosting style on TV while showcasing a completely different persona, 'Um Young-ja', in digital content.

The production team stated, "In its 35th year, 'Morning Forum' has boldly transformed to become an 'open forum' that breathes with its viewers," adding, "Through digital expansion, including Um Ji-in's alternate persona activities, we aim to establish it as a national program that spans generations."

Jung Se-yoon, TenAsia Reporter yoon@tenasia.co.kr