Korean Job Discussion Forums

[curiousaboutkorea]

I saw another thread about AFN. It reminded me that I am seemingly the only person who doesn't have AFN. Does anyone else not get it with their cable package? I have Gyeonggi Cable.

[cruisemonkey]

Not any more (CJ digital).

I think the U.S. military told all the cable companies "We will nuke you if you keep stealing the feed and 'broadcasting' it illegally."

[CentralCali]

IIRC, it was the Korean regulatory agency that ordered the cable providers to quit stealing the feed.

[benji1422]

The military has a license to run some programs from American TV networks around the world at military bases, similar to airlines getting Hollywood movies when they are still in the theater. They run the same stuff in Kuwait, Iraq, Germany, Korea, Japan etc.

However, that license is only for U.S. bases and U.S. personnel's televisions, and in this case, Koreans were stealing the signal. When it was a terrestrial broadcast the military couldn't do anything about it but for cable... they made them pull the plug.

[msluckychucky]

strange. i live in ilsan and i have AFN.

[danby_ll]

I get it on my TV.

[mc_jc]

I get the AFN cable package, which provides similar movies and shows as in the states as well as several different AFN channels- I had to buy the converter and the dish in which had to be installed by an AAFES tech.
I have to pay a certain amount each month, but it is worth it to be able to watch American-like TV programming again.

[Yaya]

[i]

When I lived next to the Gangnam bus terminal I got it off the antenna I guess because I was on the 25th floor and the base was just across the river. That was earlier this year. But in Gyungido now, and no more.

[kabrams]

Yeah, I do, lol.

[rt]

Don't believe the naysayers!!!! AFN is still broadcasting over the airwaves (and on many of the Seoul area cable companies, although many of them dropped it last year because of the US Army objections).

I get it free (over the airwaves) here in Dongdaemun, Seoul - just unplug your cable and go to channel 34 (you may need rabbit ears antenna, or even an outside antenna -uhf, not vhf antenna) to get it (depending on how far you are from the AFN broadcast tower, which I believe is located near the US army base in Yongsan/Namsan area).

By the way, I bought a small two-way switch at an electronics store so I can just flip back and forth from cable (my local cable company no longer carries AFN) to my rabbit ears antenna; but you really don't need this switch-but it saves me from having to physically screw/unscrew the cable tv coax every time I want to watch AFN.

[CentralCali]

We retirees are also authorized to purchase the satellite service. Also, one (maybe two) of the channels are broadcast over the public airwaves, so anyone who has a functioning television should be able to receive it if you're in an area where the signal reaches.

Here is an article about the off-base cable pirating. Apparently, there's no penalty for violating the regulatory agency's rules. Another article here, and one with a good explanation of the issue here.

[Sleepy in Seoul]

Don't even bother about it, unless you like the sensation of feeling your brain cells die by the thousand while you're watching it.

[fermentation]

Had no idea they were stealing it. Explains why I don't get it anymore. It was good for watching live NBA games with American commentary and not the horrible Korean commentators.

[PigeonFart]

I do, but my reception is crap. I've tried manually tuning the frequency but its still poor.