Arirang TV begins broadcasting on UK satellite networks: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on Sep 26, 2016

We are marking another milestone for Arirang TV, the channel you are watching right now, as we have begun broadcasting on local satellite networks in the UK for the very first time.

Our reporter Kwon Jang-ho is in London to witness Arirang's first airing on British soil.

Arirang TV is transmitted to over a hundred countries around the word, but now it's taken a new step in the UK, by being made available on Britain's local satellite networks.

On September 26th, Arirang TV became available in UK households, including Emma Stock's home here in London.

Emma, a fashion student, has been an avid fan of Korean culture for a number of years now.

She had been watching Arirang online in the past, but now she's excited about the prospect of having it readily available in her living room, in full HD.

"I think it's really cool because I can see my favourite actors, singers, the variety of different shows to watch. I can show my mum and my family what I'm up to and why I like Korea so much, and then they can learn more as well""

Arirang is now on two TV service providers in the UK; Sky and Freesat.

Together they are beamed into more than six million households.

The UK is the fourth largest English-speaking nation in the world, and is therefore an especially important market for Arirang, whose English-language broadcasts look to share and better inform people about Korea's culture, history and current affairs.

"I think the excitement is beginning to build now people are starting to hear about it, and I think it will be very, very popular on Freesat. We hope it will bring a new perspective on news and culture and more information and introduce UK viewers to Korea.

Anticipation is high among those who already have an interest in Korea.

"This is New Malden, located in the suburbs of London -- it's home to some 20-thousand Koreans,... the largest Korean community in Europe. It also attracts those that have an interest and a connection with Korea and its culture."

Among the local Korean restaurants, shops and businesses, I found Sebastian, a linguist who worked as a translator in Seoul, and used to watch Arirang TV before moving back to the UK.

"I thought it was a really good way to get into Korean culture, and also it was a lot easier because it was in English...

I think it's really great that now I can just go home and turn on the TV and I can have Arirang right there... and I think it's going to be really good to tell my other friends about it."

Sebastian's friend, Jaeyoung is also keen to see what Arirang has to offer.

"As a British-born Korean, I felt a big distance away from everything that was happening in Korea, and when I did try to tune in to the news, the level of Korean being spoke on television was way too high standard for me to understand... So to have it accessible in English at home will be really convenient."

But as well as bridging the gap for those who already have connections with Korea, there are high hopes that, through informative and entertaining content, Arirang TV will be able to reach a new British audience.

Kwon Jang-Ho, Arirang News, London.