The KBS Song Festival (
Korean: KBS 가요대축제;
RR: KBS Gayo Daechukje) is an annual
South Korean music show that airs on the
Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) at the end of every year. It first aired in 1965 as an awards show, but KBS discontinued the awards ceremony in 2006.[1][2] It has continued since as a music festival without giving awards most years. However, awards were given in 2013.[3]
History
The program was first broadcast in 1965 by the
Tongyang Broadcasting Company (TBC), where it was known as the TBC Broadcast Music Awards (
Korean: TBC 방송가요대상).[1] Singer Choi Hee-Joon won the first award in 1965. Separate awards were then given for male and female artists from 1966 to 1986[4]
In 1981, the South Korean government forced TBC to merge with the
Korean Broadcasting System (KBS).[5] Following the merger, the program's name was changed to the KBS Music Awards (
Korean: KBS 가요대상;
RR: KBS Gayo Daesang). It aired on
KBS1 every year on 30 December until 1994, when the program moved to
KBS2.
In 2005,
Kim Jong-kook became the last singer to win the KBS Music Award.[4] In 2006, the program's name was changed to the KBS Song Festival, and the network turned the program into a non-competitive music festival rather than an awards show.[2]
Between 2006 and 2016, the festival typically featured performances by 20 to 30
K-pop groups and singers. However, in
2017, KBS scaled back the festival to include only eight groups, two singers, and contestants from the KBS2 reality show
The Unit.[6]
The event has always taken place at KBS Hall, with two exceptions. In 2015, the event was held in
Gocheok Sky Dome and for the 2019 event, it was held in
KINTEX.
The
2018 KBS Song Festival with the theme, "A Huge Fantastical Party", was held at the KBS Hall on 28 December 2018.[7]
In 2023, the usual Song Festival was replaced by "Music Bank Global Festival", with the event held in both Saitama, Japan and Seoul, South Korea respectively.[8]
^
ab"TBC 방송가요대상 시상" [TBC Broadcast Music Awards]. JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). 25 September 1967.
Archived from the original on 7 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
^
ab"KBS도 연말 가요시상식 폐지" [KBS Also Abolishes Year-End Award Ceremony]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). 1 December 2006.
Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
^Kim Ji-hye (26 November 2023).
'뮤직뱅크 글로벌',1부 한국-2부 일본서 개최..38팀 라인업[공식] ['Music Bank Global', Part 1 in Korea and Part 2 in Japan..38-team lineup [Official]] (in Korean).
Herald Pop. Retrieved 15 December 2023 – via
Naver.
^Kim, Miri (27 November 2020).
"유노윤호X차은우X신예은, '2020 KBS 가요대축제' MC 확정...12월 18일 생방송 [공식]" [U-Know Yunho x Cha Eunwoo Cha x Shin Yeeun, confirmed MC of 2020 KBS Song Festival, Live broadcast on December 18th]. MyDaily (in Korean).
Naver.
Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
^Park Eun-hae (26 November 2021).
"차은우X설현X로운, '2021 KBS 가요대축제' MC 확정(공식)" [Cha Eun-woo X Seolhyun X Rowoon confirmed as MCs for '2021 KBS Song Festival' (official)] (in Korean). Newsen. Retrieved 26 November 2021 – via
Naver.
^Cha Hye-young (3 December 2021).
"레드벨벳→강다니엘, 2021 'KBS 가요대축제' 1차 라이업 공개" [Red Velvet → Kang Daniel, 2021 'KBS Gayo Festival' 1st lineup revealed]. Ten Asia (in Korean).
Naver. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
^Moon Ji-yeon (28 November 2022).
"[공식] KBS '가요대축제' MC, 김신영·장원영·나인우 확정" [[Official] Confirmed MCs of KBS' Gayo Daechukje, Kim Shin-young, Jang Won-young, and Na In-woo] (in Korean).
Sports Chosun. Retrieved 28 November 2022 – via
Naver.
^
abAhn Ha-na (26 November 2023).
"로운·장원영·고민시·이영지 MC 됐다...'뮤뱅 글로벌 페스티벌' 라인업 공개[공식]" [Rowoon, Jang Won-Young, Go Min-Si, and Lee Young-Ji became MCs...The lineup for "Music Bank Global Festival" is revealed[Official]] (in Korean). MBN Star. Retrieved 26 November 2023 – via Daum.
^Kim Hyo-jin (17 December 2020).
'2020 KBS 가요대축제', 출연자 라인업 공개...방송 편성 시간 보니 ['2020 KBS Song Festival', performer lineup revealed... Looking at the broadcasting schedule]. Top Star News.
Archived from the original on 18 December 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
^Park Pan-seok (3 December 2021).
"'2021가요대축제' 레드벨벳부터 투모로우바이투게더 10팀 1차 라인업 선공개" ['2021 Music Festival' Red Velvet, Tomorrow X Together 10 Team 1st Lineup Pre-release]. Osen (in Korean).
Naver. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
^Park Soo-in (8 December 2021).
"'2021 KBS 가요대축제' 2차 라인업 공개, 세븐틴 선미→아이브 출격" ['2021 Music Festival' 2nd lineup revealed, SEVENTEEN, Sunmi→Ive]. Newsen (in Korean).
Naver. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
^Jeong, Seung-min (30 November 2022).
'KBS 가요대축제' 라인업 공개...뉴진스·르세라핌 등 24팀 총출동 ['KBS Gayo Daechukje' lineup revealed... 24 teams including New Jeans and Le Sserafim]. Culture News. Retrieved 30 November 2022.