Saturday Night Live Korea

*Saturday Night Live Korea* is a Korean adaptation of the American sketch-comedy series *Saturday Night Live*. It premiered on the cable channel tvN in December 2011 and ran there through 2017. Rather than following a continuing fictional plot, the program built episodes around sketches, topical jokes, celebrity hosts and performances. Its title is often shortened to *SNL Korea*, and its Korean-language comedy draws on subjects ranging from television and popular music to elections.

One of the tvN run’s best-known sketches was “Yeouido Teletubbies.” It borrowed the look of the children’s program *Teletubbies* to caricature South Korean political figures and parties. “Yeouido” refers to the Seoul district that houses the National Assembly, making the setting part of the joke. The sketch attracted attention during the 2012 presidential election period, when its childish costumes and blunt political satire made for an unusually pointed combination on entertainment television.

The program also produced the “GTA Korea” sketches, which recast the visual language of the *Grand Theft Auto* video games in Korean settings. Actor Kim Min-kyo became closely associated with those segments. Their comedy depended on recognizable game conventions—missions, characters and sudden changes of scene—being applied to local situations. That blend of imported pop-culture formats and specifically Korean references became one of the tvN series’ most identifiable approaches.

Shin Dong-yup was a central performer on the show, while cast members including Kim Seul-gi, Jung Sung-ho, Ahn Young-mi and Kwon Hyuk-soo contributed to its sketches at different points. The cast was not fixed for the entire run. Celebrity appearances gave episodes another point of distinction: instead of simply being interviewed, guests took part in scripted comedy, sometimes playing exaggerated versions of themselves. The series also used a “Weekend Update” segment, adapting another recognizable feature of its American counterpart for Korean news and public life.

After the tvN run ended, *SNL Korea* returned in 2021 on the streaming service Coupang Play. Actor Lee Byung-hun hosted the revival’s first episode, an event that signaled its aim to attract prominent screen performers as guests. Shin Dong-yup returned, providing a connection between the two eras even as the broadcaster and distribution model changed. The move from cable television to streaming is a clear divide in the show’s history. Across both versions, its distinctive record lies in particular sketches: election satire staged with *Teletubbies* imagery, Korean scenarios modeled on *Grand Theft Auto*, and celebrities joining a rotating ensemble to make topical comedy.