The 2025 SBS Gayo Daejeon, a major year-end K-Pop music festival, delivered a star-filled lineup on Christmas night but ultimately recorded disappointing television ratings and was affected by several broadcast issues.
Held on December 25 at the Inspire Arena in Yeongjongdo, Incheon, the show featured 36 performing teams. Despite the heavy hitter roster, which included acts like Stray Kids, NCT DREAM, aespa, IVE, and LE SSERAFIM, the broadcast achieved an average rating of 1.9% according to Nielsen Korea. The first part of the show hit a particularly low mark of 1.2%.
What Were the Broadcast Ratings?
The ratings presented a clear decline from the previous year’s event. While the second part’s 1.9% rating matched last year’s first-part number, it failed to capture any growth. In 2024, the show’s third part saw a significant surge to 3.1%, but this year, the second and third parts both concluded at the same 1.9% figure. This stagnation and failure to peak has led to public discussion about the format and appeal of traditional year-end award shows.
Technical Issues During the Live Broadcast
The live broadcast was marred by a series of technical problems that drew criticism from viewers watching at home.
- Audio Imbalances: A recurring complaint involved inconsistent sound balance across multiple stages, with many viewers commenting that the live vocals from artists were difficult to hear or sounded muddled.
- A Suspicious Lip-Sync: During a special Christmas collaboration stage featuring BOYNEXTDOOR’s Unhak and ILLIT’s Wonhee performing IU’s “Merry Christmas in Advance,” Wonhee’s mouth movements appeared not to match the song at times. This prompted immediate online reactions from viewers questioning if there was a sync error or use of pre-recorded audio (AR).
- A Camera Malfunction: A noticeable error occurred during NCT DREAM‘s performance in the ending segment. The camera feed suddenly tilted and appeared to overturn momentarily, startling viewers. While some acknowledged the unpredictability of live TV, others felt the mistake was especially regrettable as it disrupted a key finale stage.
Audience Composition and Fan Reaction
Beyond the broadcast itself, the atmosphere inside the venue became a topic of discussion. Attendees and viewers noted a special standing section dedicated almost entirely to fansites—fan photographers who document idols. This area was filled with individuals carrying large, professional-grade cameras.
The sight led to concerns online that artists were performing primarily to rows of cameras rather than an interactive audience. Some fans expressed on social media that this could explain why idols sometimes appear to have more fun at international concerts where crowd interaction is more pronounced.
“No wonder the artists look bored in the ending stage, they wave to no fans but cameras,” commented one user on X.
The limited official fan lottery system, which allowed only three fans per artist group to win tickets, raised questions about how the remaining audience tickets were distributed.
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A Last-Minute Lineup Change
The final performing lineup was altered just days before the event due to an external controversy. SHINee’s Key was originally scheduled to perform but was removed from the final lineup. This followed his involvement in a controversy surrounding illegal medical procedures administered by a non-doctor, referred to in media as the “Juasaimo” (injection aunt) scandal. Both Key and his agency, SM Entertainment, stated he was unaware the individual was not a licensed doctor and decided to halt all scheduled activities to reflect on the matter.
Filling the vacant spot was NCT’s Taeyong, a label mate under SM Entertainment. Taeyong, who had been discharged from his mandatory military service just ten days prior on December 14, was added to the lineup on December 16. He performed a solo stage titled “TY IS BACK,” featuring his 2023 song “Shalala,” and received praise from viewers for his sharp performance despite the short preparation time.
Where to Watch and Event Details
The 2025 SBS Gayo Daejeon was broadcast live on SBS in South Korea. The show, hosted by IVE’s An Yujin, DAY6’s Young K, and NCT’s Jaemin, was structured in three parts beginning at 4:50 PM KST. The theme for this year’s event was “Golden Loop,” intended to reflect on K-Pop’s shining moments in 2025.
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Source: Single List
