The ‘2024 SBS Gayo Daejeon’, which features all of the top K-pop artists, decorated Christmas with splendid vigor and recorded the highest viewership rating among the 2049 demographic, including entertainment, dramas, and news.

According to Nielsen Korea, a viewership rating research agency, the ‘2024 SBS Gayo Daejeon’, which aired on the 25th, recorded a 2.9% viewership rating (based on the second half of the metropolitan area, targeting 2049 viewers), ranking first among all Wednesday programs across terrestrial and non-terrestrial channels. The highest viewership rating per minute soared to 5.1%, and the average viewership rating was 3.7%. (Seoul metropolitan area, Part 3)

The ‘2024 SBS Gayo Daejeon’, which was broadcast live at the Inspire Arena in Yeongjongdo, Incheon, was held under the theme of ‘Merry&Freaky’ and featured performances by G-DRAGON, Key, 2NE1, NCT 127, NCT DREAM, Stray Kids, (G)I-dle, ATEEZ, WayV, ITZY, TXT, Lee Young Ji, CRAVITY, TREASURE, aespa, ENHYPEN, IVE, NMIXX, LE SSERAFIM, NewJeans, BOYNEXTDOOR, ZEROBASEONE, RIIZE, TWS, NCT WISH, and AILT. (ILLIT), BABYMONSTER, NEXZ, and izna, a total of 29 teams appeared and presented a variety of stages.

The first part opened with Lee Young-ji dressed up as Santa and performed ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’, and izna, NEXZ, BABYMONSTER, ILLIT, NCT WISH, TWS, CRAVITY, WayV, RIIZE, NMIXX, BOYNEXTDOOR, ZEROBASEONE, and Yeonjun presented a splendid performance. In particular, stages full of Christmas atmosphere such as RIIZE‘s Christmas version of ‘Love 119’, and BOYNEXTDOOR’s ‘s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas’ stimulated the excitement of K-pop fans.

The second part opened with the ‘Little Light’ stage by Doyoung, who also served as the MC for the day‘s performance. The fantastic stages of NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, TREASURE, IVE, aespa, ENHYPEN, ITZY, ATEEZ, and 2NE1 heated up the living rooms. In particular, Enmix’s Seol Yoon and Irit‘s Iroha stole the spotlight with a perfect cover of Red Velvet’s ‘Feel My Rhythm’, while Enhypen‘s Heeseung and ATEEZ’s Yunho also showed off their presence with special stages. The maknaes of representative fifth-generation boy groups, Unhak, Han Yujin, Jihoon, Kyungmin, Ryo, and Sakuya, covered EXO‘s ‘Love Me Right’, drawing cheers from fans. At the end of the second half, 2NE1 took the stage and performed ‘Come Back Home’, ‘Fire’, and ‘I Am the Best’, showing off their charisma befitting the title of ‘Legendary Girl Group’.

The third half featured performances by Key, Tomorrow x Together, (G)I-dle, Stray Kids, NCT DREAM, NCT 127, and G-DRAGON. Seongchan and Anton of RISE performed TVXQ & Super Junior’s ‘Show Me Your Love’, Kim Jiwoong and Park Gunwook of Zero Base One performed Monsta X‘s ‘Shoot Out’, and Karina of aespa and Ahn Yujin of IVY performed ‘Killer’, giving fans a plentiful Christmas present. The ending of the third part was G-DRAGON, who returned to the ‘Gayo Daejun’ after 8 years, and the fans’ enthusiasm reached its peak. G-DRAGON dominated the stage with his new song ‘POWER’, ‘Majestic’, and ‘Crooked’, decorating the finale of the splendid Christmas festival.

Jeon Hyo-jin, Donga.com Reporter jhj@donga.com