SBS’ 2026 Gayo Daejeon marks first two-day event in 30 years, bringing K-pop legends together for Christmas

'K-pop heritage' meets the present in a landmark-scale show at KINTEX

'SBS Gayo Daejeon', a living history of South Korean popular music, will celebrate its 30th anniversary this year with an unprecedented production. SBS announced on the 1st that it will hold the '2026 SBS Gayo Daejeon' over two days for the first time. The festival will kick off in grand fashion Dec. 24-25 at 'KINTEX in Ilsan'.

Since its first broadcast in 1996, 'SBS Gayo Daejeon' has followed K-pop's growth and has aired during the Christmas season every year since 2017, establishing itself as an iconic year-end music festival. This year, marking the show's 30th anniversary, it will go beyond a simple year-end recap to bring the sweeping story of '30 years of K-pop history' to the stage.

The most anticipated element is a 'special collaboration stage' that transcends generations. First-generation senior artists who laid the foundation for South Korea's idol industry will join younger singers who now dominate the global music market, delivering a performance that spans eras. More than a celebratory concert, the stage is expected to symbolize a link between K-pop's past, present and future.