A Treat for the Ears in the Front Row... K-pop Dominates the Autumn TV Lineup

Music Variety Shows Flood Terrestrial and Cable TV This Fall
Expanding into Ballad, Hip-Hop, and Busking Genres
Retro Vibes for the Young, Nostalgia for the Middle-Aged

Soyeon from (G)I-DLE (from the left), Dynamic Duo's Gaeko, Japanese choreographer Riehata, and Iwata Takanori, a member of the Japanese group Sandaime J Soul Brothers, participating as producers of "Unpretty Rapstar: Hip Hop Princess." Provided by Mnet.

The autumn TV lineup is being colored by music. Terrestrial, cable, and general programming channels are introducing a series of music variety shows, bringing singing back to television screens. K-pop, which had been primarily consumed through concert venues or online platforms like YouTube, is making a return to the "TV stage." Music programs remain a "reliable format" for broadcasters. What matters more than ratings is the buzz and influence that spans generations. This is the reason why the broadcasting industry is turning its attention back to music.

SBS's "Our Ballad" has been gaining word-of-mouth popularity, with its viewership rising from 4.5% in the first episode to 6% in the third episode (according to Nielsen Korea) since its premiere on September 23. With the concept of "songs from our youth sung by today's generation," contestants in their teens and twenties reinterpreted 1990s classics such as Lim Jaebeom's "For You" and Lee Eunha's "The Way You Sent Me Off with a Smile." Alongside musicians like Jung Jaehyung, Crush, and Jung Seunghwan, celebrities such as Cha Taehyun and Jun Hyunmoo also participated as judges. Rather than focusing on pitch and rhythm, the show emphasizes the texture of the voice and the sincerity of the lyrics, prioritizing "empathy" over competition.

On October 14, JTBC will launch "Sing Again - Unknown Singer Competition Season 4." This sequel to "Sing Again," which has consistently discovered hidden talents since its debut in 2020, will see the return of host Lee Seunggi and judges Lim Jaebeom, Yoon Jongshin, Baek Jiyoung, Kim Eana, Kyuhyun, Lee Haeri, and Code Kunst, with Taeyeon joining the panel. The production team stated, "Eighty-one contestants who made it to the finals will present performances that transcend genres and generations," adding, "We have increased the proportion of younger contestants to broaden the show's scope."

Mnet's "Unpretty Rapstar: Hip Hop Princess" will premiere on October 16. This follow-up to the 2015 show that launched artists like Jessi and Cheetah is a Korea-Japan collaboration aiming to form a global hip-hop girl group. Forty contestants will compete in music, choreography, styling, and video production. Dynamic Duo's Gaeko, (G)I-DLE's Jeon Soyeon, Japanese choreographer Riehata, and Iwata Takanori from the Japanese group Sandaime J Soul Brothers will participate as producers. The show plans to expand beyond a simple rap battle into a "female creator survival" competition.

SBS 'Our Ballad' Screenshot

SBS will also air another music program, "The Listen: Today, Reaching You," starting on October 15. Six musicians from different generations and genres-including Huh Gak, Kwon Jinah, Bang Yedam, Big Naughty, and Ash Island-will perform busking stages on university campuses and city streets.

In a market dominated by OTT platforms and YouTube, music variety shows are considered blue-chip content. As retro and nostalgic trends spread, these programs offer novelty to younger viewers and nostalgia to middle-aged and older audiences, ensuring stable popularity.

SBS Chief Producer Park Sunghoon said, "Now is a time when various generations can listen to music and have conversations together," adding, "When today's generation sings songs from the past in their own language, those songs truly come alive again." Producer Jung Ikseung commented, "We are now in an era where sincerity resonates more than stimulation," and emphasized, "The essence of music variety shows ultimately lies in capturing people's stories."