SBS has demonstrated its unrivaled power as a sports broadcasting powerhouse by achieving the No. 1 spot in viewership ratings for 11 consecutive days during its coverage of key events at the 2026 Nagoya Asian Games, while simultaneously sweeping YouTube digital content.
According to ratings research firm Nielsen Korea on October 1, SBS posted a 2.9% rating among households in the Seoul metropolitan area and 2.5% nationwide for its broadcast of the women's 52kg judo final featuring athlete Jang Se-yun the previous day, beating MBC (2.2% in the metropolitan area) and KBS2 (2.0% in the metropolitan area) to take the top spot among terrestrial networks. Broadcasts of the women's team compound archery event and athlete Kim Chan-nyeong's men's 66kg judo semifinal also swept first place in their respective time slots.
SBS delivered a decisive victory on digital platforms as well as in television ratings. An analysis of sports YouTube channels showed that SBS (SBS Sports) produced 27 videos that surpassed 1 million views, with 11 of them breaking the 2 million mark. Notably, coverage of the men's football match between North Korea and Japan reached 4.9 million views, while key clips including An Se-young's gold medal-winning match (1.93 million views) have been drawing an explosive response.
The broadcast was further elevated by the standout performances of its expert commentary team. Compound archery commentator Im Dong-hyun boosted the athletes' morale with a witty remark, saying, "As long as the wind inside your heart doesn't blow, you'll be fine," and gave warm encouragement to athlete Choi Yong-hee, who secured a silver medal in the mixed team event, by telling him, "Well done."
In the men's football semifinal against China, commentators Jang Ji-hyun and Park Joo-ho delivered sharp analysis. After having accurately broken down the opponent's dense defense and the strategy to pierce it beforehand, sportscaster Bae Sung-jae captured the electrifying atmosphere for viewers at home when Bae Jun-ho scored the winning goal in the 37th minute of the second half, shouting, "We are now just one step away from four consecutive Asian Games men's football titles!"
Meanwhile, on Thursday, October 1—Day 12 of the competition—SBS continues its gold rush with live broadcasts of the men's and women's compound archery quarterfinals, semifinals, bronze medal matches, and finals, as well as the men's volleyball quarterfinals and medal matches in shooting, judo, and wrestling.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.