Broadcast accident at SBS Gayo Daejeon: MCs stunned as crew rushes onstage

A broadcast accident occurred during the live airing of '2026 SBS Gayo Daejeon SUMMER' when proceedings were suddenly interrupted. While introducing the next stage, the MCs were unable to continue their lines, leading to a long silence on set. Eventually, the production crew was seen stepping onto the stage to manage the situation, all of which was captured on air.

Because the production process was exposed so rawly, making it more than just a typical unexpected moment inherent to live broadcasting, viewers expressed significant disappointment.

At the '2026 SBS Gayo Daejeon SUMMER' held on the 9th at the KINTEX Exhibition Center 2 in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, a total of 28 teams, including Stray Kids, Ateez, Red Velvet, RIIZE, and NCT Wish, appeared to showcase diverse performances.

The hosting duties for the day were handled by RIIZE's Sungchan, Hearts2Hearts' I-an, and NCT Wish's Si-on. As all three are active members of idol groups, expectations were high for this fresh combination, which differed from traditional professional broadcasters.

However, the problem occurred the moment the next performing artist was being introduced.

While the stage transition was underway, Si-on suddenly stopped speaking, and Sungchan also looked around with a bewildered expression. I-an also appeared to be waiting for the next cue, resulting in all three MCs being unable to naturally continue the broadcast.

An unexpected silence followed on the live broadcast screen. The situation became even more awkward as the voice from the scene, "Shall we try one more time?" was broadcasted directly.

Ultimately, the production crew had to move.

On the live broadcast screen, staff members were captured rushing onto the stage to check Si-on's cue sheet and review the script. The scale of the accident was felt even more vividly as the production process, which generally should not be exposed to viewers, was captured directly on screen.

After the coordination by the production crew, the broadcast regained its normal flow. However, the moment the live broadcast came to a halt had already been etched into the minds of the viewers.

Following the broadcast, criticisms arose online suggesting that the hosts might have been underprepared. Reactions such as "I wonder if the pre-rehearsal was sufficient," "It was disconcerting to see them waiting for the next cue even while holding the script," and "Since it was a live broadcast, someone was needed to maintain the flow" continued to pour in.

Disappointment regarding the MC lineup itself was also raised.

This MC lineup was composed primarily of rookie-level idol members. Given the nature of idol music programs, this choice can be seen as an attempt to target topicality and freshness, but critics point out that to steadily lead a large-scale live broadcast featuring many teams, having the experience to respond immediately to unexpected situations is also crucial.

In particular, in a live broadcast, moments not included in the script can occur at any time. This is because even when a cue is delayed or a stage transition takes longer than expected, the MC must naturally fill the time to maintain the rhythm of the broadcast.

In that regard, some evaluations suggest that this accident was not merely an individual mistake by the MCs, but a scene that prompts a review of the overall live broadcast management system.

Of course, there are counterarguments. Since the live broadcast format itself is difficult to control perfectly, the possibility of unexpected situations always exists, and some argue it is excessive to place all the responsibility on hosts who may lack experience. Rather, it is possible to evaluate that the response itself was swift, given that the production crew immediately stepped onto the stage to resolve the situation.

Ultimately, the biggest task left by this broadcast accident lies not in 'whose mistake it was,' but in how naturally unexpected situations can be absorbed during a live broadcast.

The larger the massive music festival, where spectacular stages and star performances are the focus, the more precisely the hosting should be prepared behind the scenes. The dizzying silence of this 'Gayo Daejeon' paradoxically demonstrated that fact.

The performance footage and major stages of '2026 SBS Gayo Daejeon SUMMER' are scheduled to be released additionally on the 12th.