K-Channel 82 Brings YTN News and K-Pop to U.S. Audiences Starting September in Las Vegas
- Korean content including YTN news and K-pop programming will be available to U.S.
- The channel's name derives from South Korea's international dialing code, 82, combining it with 'K' for Korean content.
- As the United States' second-largest over-the-air broadcaster, Sinclair aims to distribute Korean content widely through free, terrestrial television.
Korean content including YTN news and K-pop programming will be available to U.S. Audiences starting in September 2026 through a new over-the-air broadcast channel named ‘K-Channel 82’.
The channel’s name derives from South Korea’s international dialing code, 82, combining it with ‘K’ for Korean content. This initiative follows a memorandum of understanding signed in January 2026 in Las Vegas between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Korean broadcasters to promote a U.S.-based ‘Hallyu content channel business’.
As the United States’ second-largest over-the-air broadcaster, Sinclair aims to distribute Korean content widely through free, terrestrial television. The goal is to bring a dedicated Korean channel into American homes, featuring news, dramas, music programs, and other K-content.
KBS content, including popular dramas and music programs, is expected to be available on K-Channel 82, allowing U.S. Viewers to access it for free via their home televisions. The channel will also support an app-based e-commerce revenue model.
The launch of K-Channel 82 represents a significant step in expanding the global reach of Korean pop culture, commonly known as the Korean Wave or Hallyu, through traditional broadcast infrastructure in the United States.