The "2026 SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer" proved itself to be the defining K-POP festival of the summer, featuring an unprecedented lineup of 28 teams and a variety of special stages.

Broadcasted live on SBS for 180 minutes on the 17th under the keyword "Beat the Heat," the event brought together a total of 28 teams ranging from top-tier artists to next-generation rookies, including Red Velvet, Lee Chan-lee (SEVENTEEN's Dino), Wonpil (DAY6), Taeyong, Ten, BOL4, Stray Kids, ATEEZ, BIBI, Choi Ye-na, xikers, KISS OF LIFE, ZEROBASEONE, RIIZE, NCT WISH, BABYMONSTER, NEXZ, MEOVV, izna, KICKFLIP, and Hearts2Hearts, who delivered spectacular performances.

RIIZE's Sungchan, NCT WISH's Sion, and Hearts2Hearts's Ian served as the MCs for the day, forming a "refreshing visual trio MC" combination. Never-before-seen collaborations captivated viewers' eyes and ears, including special unit stages by girl group members forming "SUMMER ANGELS" and "SUMMER QUEENS," as well as a rookie boy group joint cover stage titled "Red Summer Night."

In particular, toward the end of the broadcast, past logos of "SBS Gayo Daejeon" dating back to 1996 were shown alongside the first-ever teaser reveal of the "G30" logo commemorating its 30th anniversary this year. Unveiled under the core keywords "GLOWING, GROOVE, GRAND" alongside the English title "GAYODAEJEON," the "G30" logo significantly heightened anticipation for the 30th anniversary "SBS Gayo Daejeon" scheduled to be held this winter.

Reporter Kang Sun-ae

(SBS Star, Reporter Kang Sun-ae)