SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer Live Broadcast Glitch Draws Criticism, MCs Under Fire

The 2026 SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer, a major South Korean music program, aired on July 9, but the live broadcast was marred by an awkward incident. All three hosts collectively faltered while introducing the next performer, causing a momentary standstill on stage. A production staff member even rushed onto the stage to check the cue sheet, with the entire scene broadcast live and unedited, quickly drawing heated discussion online.

The 2026 SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer featured 28 artist groups, including Stray Kids, ATEEZ, Red Velvet, RIIZE, and NCT WISH, delivering numerous spectacular performances. The hosting lineup consisted of SUNGCHAN (성찬) of RIIZE, IAN (이안) of Hearts2Hearts, and SION (시온) of NCT WISH.

The program was simultaneously live-streamed on the YouTube channel “SBSKPOP X INKIGAYO.” However, an issue arose during the introduction of the next artist. As the stage transitioned, SION suddenly paused, leaving the stage in an awkward silence. SUNGCHAN appeared flustered, looking around, while IAN waited for further instructions. The three hosts were caught in an uncomfortable moment, exchanging glances.

After the deadlock persisted for a while, a voice from off-stage was heard asking, “Should we try again?” Ultimately, a production staff member walked directly onto the stage to check the cue sheet in SION’s hand. This “firefighting” scene was also fully captured by the live cameras, allowing viewers to witness the unexpected on-air mishap.

Fortunately, the three hosts quickly regained their composure and smoothly resumed the program, with no further major issues. Nevertheless, the sight of the hosts collectively fumbling and staff needing to intervene on stage to check the script left many viewers astonished by the program’s production and the hosts’ preparedness.

Following the broadcast, a wave of criticism emerged online. Some netizens questioned the lack of sufficient rehearsal, arguing that hosts should familiarize themselves with the script and coordinate their rhythm in advance. Others directly stated that the trio clearly lacked chemistry, feeling they “didn’t rehearse properly at all.”

Beyond the live broadcast error, some viewers also directed their criticism at the host selection. As all three hosts are idols from SM Entertainment, some netizens questioned whether the production team was overly reliant on artists from a single agency. They even suggested that a major live broadcast should at least include an MC with extensive hosting experience. Comments such as “There are so many good hosts, why didn’t they include even one experienced person?” “It’s too risky to have inexperienced people host a live show,” and “All three are SM idols, was this arrangement really necessary?” expanded the discussion from a simple broadcast error to the selection of hosts and overall program production.

However, some viewers who watched the entire live broadcast defended IAN, believing her performance during the incident was not poor and that she was the most stable of the three. Netizens commented, “I watched from start to finish, IAN did very well,” and “IAN wasn’t bad enough to be criticized along with them; in fact, she performed well.” Others suggested that if IAN had been paired with a professional MC, the overall effect might have been better.

Some netizens focused on the performance of the other two hosts, suggesting that SION clearly needed more practice, and SUNGCHAN, as an experienced host, should have taken more responsibility for stabilizing the atmosphere. Comments included: “SION was really terrible; even with SM’s push, he couldn’t handle it. Please, at least include a professional MC.” “SION really needs to reflect ㅠㅠ That’s a position some people would kill for.” and “The overall standard of SM male idols seems to be declining.”

Some viewers even stated that if IAN had made such a mistake, she would have been heavily criticized by netizens, suggesting that the public’s evaluation standards for different members seemed inconsistent.

However, other netizens argued that live broadcasts inherently involve unexpected situations, and hosts cannot completely avoid all mistakes. Therefore, they believed that not all responsibility should be placed on the hosts. The incident thus evolved from a simple “live broadcast glitch” into a broader discussion about the hosting lineup, rehearsals, and program production methods.

The 2026 SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer featured spectacular performances by numerous K-pop artists. The full performance content is expected to be released on July 12.