Filipino K-pop fans are now able to tune in to the latest clips from Mnet’s M Countdown.
Last year, it was reported on this site that Mnet, on behalf of M Countdown, has blocked access to the performance clips from the program for Philippine viewers. The said move is seen as the result of the acquisition of rights to broadcast MCD by Philippine telecoms giant Smart and its fellow PLDT subsidiaries TV5 and Cignal.
The show premiered on TV5 last year, with episode 695 of the show or what was originally aired in Korea on January 21, 2021. It is then understood that the deal involving Smart-Cignal only covers editions from that date forward. Thus, assuring the continued availability of the January 14, 2021 episode and those prior. However, M2 fancams and other MCD-related content are not part of the geo-restrictions and remained viewable throughout the year.
But earlier this year, Philippine viewers were finally given the chance to watch official stage clips from M Countdown on the Mnet K-pop YouTube channel, albeit not for all performances. Instead, PH viewers are only allowed to view select debut, major comebacks, and special stages uploaded on the said channel. The rest are still blocked as TV5 and Smart’s Gigaplay platform continue to broadcast the show’s entirety.
This new uploading method applies to clips from episode 735 or the episode that aired in South Korea on January 13, 2022. Meaning, performances from January 21, 2021 until the end of the year remain unavailable on the Mnet K-pop YouTube channel. You may also try it out for yourself, by searching for the performances by either MINHO, WOOZI, KIM YOHAN, and ENHYPEN for the abovemntioned episode number.
In related news, the TV5 network is said to be removing the show from its current Sunday night timeslot, effective March 13, 2022. It is still unclear, though, whether the show will be moved elsewhere on its schedule or has it been completely axed by the station.