Busan Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation
Busan Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation is Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation's local radio and television broadcaster serving Busan, South Korea.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Busan Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation, commonly called Busan MBC, is the regional Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation broadcaster serving Busan and the surrounding southeastern Korean media market. It operates television and two radio services under the HLKU call sign and forms part of the wider MBC local-station network. The company was established on October 20, 1958, making it one of South Korea's earliest private radio broadcasters and predating the creation of the national Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation by two years. Its early identity was closely connected to Busan's geographic position. Because Japanese radio signals could be received relatively easily in the area, the station's founders selected the Munhwa, or culture, identity in part as a way of emphasizing Korean local culture and media production. The station became a significant early commercial-radio operation. After Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation established a network structure in April 1959, Busan's station participated in the development of networked radio broadcasting. In November of that year it aired what is described as the first commercial jingle on Korean radio, promoting Jinro soju. The tune became widely recognizable, particularly among children, although its popularity also prompted concern about the implications of an alcohol advertisement being attractive to younger listeners. This episode illustrates the station's early role in shaping Korean broadcast advertising as well as its position as a local media institution. The company experienced a major ownership change during the political upheaval following the May 16, 1961 military coup. On June 30, 1962, after the founder of Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation was taken into custody by the Central Intelligence Agency, effective ownership of the company was transferred to the May 16 Scholarship Association, later known as the Jeongsu Scholarship Association. The station changed its name to Busan Cultural Broadcasting Corporation on March 5, 1965. It also developed international regional links, signing a memorandum of understanding in 1967 with RKB Mainichi Broadcasting, a broadcaster based in Fukuoka, Japan. Busan MBC expanded from radio into television at the end of the 1960s. It conducted television test transmissions on December 30, 1969, and began regular programming on January 25, 1970, initially using the HLAD-TV call sign. The original service operated on VHF channel 12 with 2 kW of visual power and 500 watts of aural power, using cameras supplied by the British manufacturer Pye. On September 30, 1972, the television service moved to channel 11. The company broadcast from the Kukje Building until 1997; that building was later sold to a construction company and was subsequently refurbished as a hotel. In the contemporary period, Busan MBC remains a local broadcaster within the MBC system, combining regional news, current affairs, entertainment, cultural programming, radio, and television distribution. Like several other MBC branches outside Seoul, it faced profitability pressure between 2019 and 2021. The station reportedly recorded a loss of 5.8 billion won in 2021. In July 2024, Busan MBC signed a memorandum of understanding with the entertainment company Fantagio concerning program production, indicating an effort to broaden or strengthen its content-production relationships. Its core role remains the production and distribution of media for Busan while contributing local programming to the national MBC network.
History
Busan Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation was established in Busan on October 20, 1958, during the formative period of South Korea's private broadcasting industry. It was created before the main Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation, which opened on April 15, 1959. The Busan station therefore occupies a distinctive place in the history of Korean radio: it was the country's first private radio station and subsequently became part of the MBC network structure. The broadcaster's name reflected both cultural and geographic concerns. Busan lies close to Japan, and Japanese radio signals were relatively easy to receive in the region. The choice of a Munhwa, or culture, identity was intended in part to reinforce local Korean culture and broadcasting in an environment where foreign transmissions were accessible. The station quickly became an important site for commercial-radio experimentation. In November 1959 it transmitted an early Korean radio commercial jingle for Jinro soju. The song was composed by station head Heo Young-cheol and became especially popular with children, though its appeal also led to concern over the suitability of an alcohol advertisement for younger audiences. The station's institutional position changed after the May 16, 1961 military coup. On June 30, 1962, the founder of Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation was taken away by the Central Intelligence Agency. Effective ownership of the company was then transferred to the May 16 Scholarship Association, an organization later known as the Jeongsu Scholarship Association. On March 5, 1965, the company adopted the name Busan Cultural Broadcasting Corporation. In 1967, it entered into a memorandum of understanding with RKB Mainichi Broadcasting of Fukuoka, establishing a cross-border regional relationship between broadcasters in Busan and Japan. Television development followed the station's radio origins. Busan MBC carried out test television broadcasts on December 30, 1969, and began regular television broadcasting on January 25, 1970. The television service initially used the HLAD-TV call sign and transmitted on VHF channel 12. Its initial technical configuration provided 2 kW of visual power and 500 watts of aural power, while cameras were supplied by the British company Pye. The service moved to VHF channel 11 on September 30, 1972. This expansion allowed the organization to become a combined radio and television broadcaster rather than a radio-only operation. For much of its earlier history, Busan MBC operated from the Kukje Building. It remained there until 1997. The building was later sold to a construction company and was subsequently refurbished as a hotel, marking the end of its association with the station's former premises. In the twenty-first century, Busan MBC continued as a local MBC affiliate and regional broadcaster, producing and distributing programming for Busan while participating in the wider MBC network. Its activities include radio, television, local news, cultural coverage, entertainment, advertising, and program production. The station faced financial pressure along with a number of MBC branches outside Seoul. Between 2019 and 2021, fourteen such branches experienced declining profits, and Busan MBC reportedly lost 5.8 billion won in 2021. In response to the changing economics of broadcasting and content production, Busan MBC signed a memorandum of understanding with Fantagio on July 31, 2024, concerning program production. The agreement represents a recent example of the station's effort to work with external content and entertainment partners while retaining its regional broadcasting role.
- 2024
Fantagio production partnership
[1]On July 31, Busan MBC signed a memorandum of understanding with Fantagio concerning program production.
- 2021
Reported profitability pressure
[1]The station reportedly recorded a loss of 5.8 billion won amid declining profitability affecting multiple MBC branches outside Seoul.
- 1997
Departure from the Kukje Building
[1]Busan MBC ended its broadcasting operations from the Kukje Building, where it had been based for many years.
- 1972
Television channel change
[1]The television service moved from VHF channel 12 to channel 11 on September 30.
- 1970
Regular television service begins
[1]Regular television broadcasts began on January 25 using the HLAD-TV call sign.
- 1969
Television test broadcasts
[1]The station conducted television test transmissions on December 30 under the development of its future television service.
- 1967
International broadcaster memorandum
[1]Busan MBC signed a memorandum of understanding with RKB Mainichi Broadcasting of Fukuoka.
- 1965
Company renamed
[1]The company changed its name to Busan Cultural Broadcasting Corporation on March 5.
- 1962
Effective ownership transferred after political intervention
[1]On June 30, effective ownership was transferred to the May 16 Scholarship Association following the detention of the MBC founder after the military coup.
- 1959
MBC network radio structure begins
[1]The Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation opened on April 15, creating a network system in Korean radio broadcasting in which the Busan station participated.
Products and positioning
A regional public-facing broadcaster combining locally produced Busan news, culture, entertainment, radio, and television with the reach and programming infrastructure of the national MBC network.
Television broadcasting · 1970
Busan MBC television
The station's television service began regular broadcasting in January 1970 after test transmissions in December 1969. It initially operated under the HLAD-TV call sign, used VHF channel 12, and later moved to channel 11 in 1972. The service provides regional programming for Busan within the broader MBC television network.
Radio broadcasting · 1958
Busan MBC radio services
Busan MBC operates two radio stations under the HLKU call sign. Radio remains central to the broadcaster's identity, reflecting its origins as one of South Korea's earliest private radio stations and its participation in the MBC network's first radio-networking structure.
Local programming
Regional news and cultural programming
Busan MBC produces and distributes programming focused on the city and region, including local news, current affairs, cultural coverage, and entertainment. These programs provide a regional perspective while benefiting from the distribution and production relationship of the wider MBC system.
Marketing campaigns
- 1959Jinro soju radio jingle
South Korea
Busan MBC broadcast a Jinro soju commercial jingle in November 1959. The tune was composed by station head Heo Young-cheol and became notably popular, especially among children.
Outcome. The jingle became a successful and memorable early example of Korean radio advertising, although its appeal raised concerns about alcohol marketing reaching children.
Brand decisions
2024
Program-production memorandum with FantagioStrategyBackground
The broadcaster entered into a content-production relationship with Fantagio, an entertainment company.
Action taken
On July 31, Busan MBC signed a memorandum of understanding concerning program production.
Aftermath
The agreement established a basis for cooperation in producing programs, although the available reference does not specify particular titles or commercial results.
1970
Launch of regular television broadcastingProduct launchBackground
After conducting television tests in December 1969, Busan MBC expanded its radio operation into television.
Action taken
The company began regular television broadcasts on January 25 under the HLAD-TV call sign.
Aftermath
Busan MBC became a combined radio and television broadcaster serving the regional market.
1962
Transfer of effective ownership to the May 16 Scholarship AssociationOtherBackground
Following the May 16 military coup, the founder of Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation was detained by the Central Intelligence Agency, and the company's effective ownership changed.
Action taken
Effective ownership of the company was transferred to the May 16 Scholarship Association, later known as the Jeongsu Scholarship Association.
Aftermath
The transfer altered the broadcaster's institutional and ownership position during South Korea's period of military rule.
Sources2 sources
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