[2026 World Cup] KBS, led by Lee Young-pyo and Jeon Hyun-moo, tops the viewing ratings in the Czech Republic match over Park Ji-sung

A crisis that demanded everything—“Hwang In-beom,” the maestro on the pitch, took control of the flow with flashes of instinct. The moment that recorded the beginning of the massive comeback drama, with shouts from the Taegeuk Warriors ringing out in Guadalajara.

The out-of-the-box broadcast war, the first win is on KBS

Another high-stakes showdown in the 2026 North/Central America World Cup was brewing not on the field, but in the viewing-ratings battle beyond it. In the head-to-head matchup outside the stadium for the Group A opener vs the Czech Republic, KBS’s 2TV logged a viewing rating of 8.5% (Nielsen Korea nationwide standard), beating JTBC, which finished at 5.7%, to seize the initiative. The variations crafted by Lee Young-pyo, whose sharp tactical analysis marked his return to the commentary booth after eight years, and by special caster Jeon Hyun-moo—with his entertainment flair—fully captured viewers’ attention and curiosity. On the other hand, JTBC, which pulled out the formidable cards of perennial captain Park Ji-sung and caster Bae Seong-jae, ended up with a somewhat disappointing results sheet, but is already signaling a fierce counterattack in the next, second match of the broadcast rights.

A miracle in Guadalajara, the nail-biting comeback drama of the Hong Myung-bo squad

Hong Myung-bo’s coached South Korean national football team produced a thrilling comeback win of 2-1 against the Czech Republic in a head-to-head match at Estadio Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Mexico on the 12th. In the 22nd minute of the second half, Hwang In-beom drew in the pursuing momentum with a priceless equalizing goal, and then in the 35th minute of the second half, Oh Hyeong-gyu put a dramatic period on the contest with an explosive match-winning strike. Having fastened the first button perfectly, the national team sets its sights on a monumental goal: winning two straight in group play by making Mexico the “offering” on the same stage on the 19th at 10 a.m.

From exclusivity to coexistence, the artistry of the joint broadcast forged through compromise

The look of the broadcast booth this tournament is, in itself, an interesting behind-the-scenes story. JTBC, which initially held the exclusive broadcast rights to the World Cup from 2026 through 2030, ran into an obstacle: the risk of damaging universal viewing access. In the end, through a compromise with terrestrial broadcasters, it decided to resell the broadcast rights in April. That completed the current joint broadcast system of KBS and JTBC. This is working not just as channel competition, but as a positive ripple effect aimed at giving domestic soccer fans the best viewing experience possible.