KBS·JTBC Ratings Tie at 3.4% as Spain Wins — ‘Dynamite’ by BTS Lights Up the Night

At the broadcast booth of the ‘2026 International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) North America Cup’ final, which drew the attention of soccer fans around the world, ‘KBS’ and ‘JTBC’ staged a ratings showdown with not an inch to spare.

The return of the invincible fleet, and a 3.4% ‘tight squeeze’ in off-the-field viewership

According to ratings research firm ‘Nielsen Korea’ on the 21st, the viewership ratings for the day before’s Spain vs. Argentina final, aired live, ended in a tie with both sides posting ‘3.4%’ nationwide. During the three matches involving the South Korean national team in Group A, ‘KBS’ dominated comfortably, but in the long-awaited final match, both networks struck a close balance.

The lineup of the broadcast team that took the microphone that day was also stacked. ‘KBS’ put ‘Lee Young-pyo’, an analyst, and Nam Hyun-jong as a presenter front and center, adding a heavy sense of stability, while ‘JTBC’ delivered a sense of dynamic immediacy to living rooms with ‘Park Ji-sung’, analyst Kim Hwan, and presenter Bae Seung-jae.

In the main match held at the New York, New Jersey stadium in the United States, ‘Spain national football team’ proved once again that it remains among the world’s elite by securing a 1-0 win over the defending champion Argentina.

Beyond the emotion of sport, the spectacle of a massive cultural festival also overwhelmed global viewers. On the halftime show stage—attempted ‘for the first time in South Korea’ in World Cup history—‘BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan)’ made a surprise appearance and performed the global mega hit ‘Dynamite’. In addition, actor ‘Jung Ho-yeon’, as a Louis Vuitton global ambassador, entered the field escorted a trunk containing the championship trophy, opening a dazzling prelude to a clash of the ages.