The anticipation is building for the KBS Song Festival 2024, an annual musical extravaganza that has become a cornerstone of the K-pop entertainment calendar. As the event approaches, fans worldwide are buzzing with excitement, eagerly awaiting the comprehensive details of this landmark celebration of musical excellence and cultural connectivity.
KBS Music Festival 2024 Overview: Date, Time, and Venue
The much-anticipated KBS Music Festival 2024 is set to electrify audiences on Friday, December 20, 2024, at the expansive Kintex Hall. The K-pop event will commence at 8:30 p.m. Korean Standard Time (KST), creating a global viewing experience with synchronized timings across different time zones:
- Eastern Time (ET): 6:30 a.m.
- Pacific Time (PT): 3:30 a.m.
- Central Time (CT): 5:30 a.m.
- British Standard Time (BST): 12:30 p.m.
Notably, this year’s 18th edition marks a departure from previous years’ traditions. In a significant change, the festival will forgo its customary red carpet event, focusing instead on the pure musical experience.
ENHYPEN’s Jay & Jungwon, (G)I-DLE’s Miyeon, IVE’s Liz, and BOYNEXTDOOR’s Sungho will have a special collab stage on ‘2024 KBS Song Global Festival’ pic.twitter.com/E4HsPbwYCw
— Viral Takes (@viraltakes) December 18, 2024
Thematic Essence: “Infinity” – Transcending Musical Boundaries
The 2024 KBS Music Festival embraces the profound theme of “Infinity,” a concept that eloquently captures the transformative power of music. This theme celebrates how K-pop artists have successfully transcended geographical, cultural, and temporal boundaries, creating an “infinite connection” that resonates globally. It symbolizes the genre’s unprecedented ability to unite diverse audiences through the universal language of music.
Star-Studded Performer Lineup: A Spectacular Musical Roster
This year’s festival promises an extraordinary lineup of 18 music groups, representing the pinnacle of K-pop talent. The performers include:
Major K-pop Groups
- aespa
- ENHYPEN
- (G)I-DLE
- BOYNEXTDOOR
- NCT 127
- NCT DREAM
Rising and Established Artists
- Kiss of Life
- TripleS
- Cravity
- P1Harmony
- Kep1er
- ONEUS
- UNIS
Solo Artists and Special Performers
- Lee Young Ji
- Lee Chanwon
- Jang Minho
- Young Tak
Hosting Trio: Bringing Charisma and Star Power
The event will be hosted by three of K-pop’s charismatic personalities:
- Wonyoung
- Zico
- Kim Youngdae
The hosts promise to bring their unique energy, charm, and entertainment expertise to guide viewers through the musical spectacular, ensuring an engaging and memorable experience.
2024 KBS Song Festival (December 20) has canceled the red carpet. The show is be hosted by Wonyoung, Zico and Kim Youngdae, with the lineup:aespaENHYPEN(G)I-DLEBOYNEXTDOORNCT 127NCT DREAMKiss of LifeTripleSCravityP1HarmonyKep1erONEUSLee YoungjiUNISLee ChanwonJang… pic.twitter.com/UYu0pvPwxI
— About Music (@AboutMusicYT) December 13, 2024
Collaboration stages
KBS has teased numerous special collaboration stages for the night, where globally popular K-pop artists of different groups will come together to create an epic celebration. On top of that, NCT Star Mark will perform his latest solo single, “Fraktsiya” with Lee Young Ji. Check out the collaboration stages below.
- ENHYPEN’s Jay & Jungwon, (G)I-DLE’s Miyeon, IVE’s Liz, and BOYNEXTDOOR’s Sungho
- Actor Kim Young-dae and Heeseung
- hip-hop duo Jinusean, IVE’s Jang Won Young, and BOYNEXTDOOR
NCT DREAM will be performing at 2024 KBS Gayo Daechukje (KBS Song Festival)#MARK X Lee Youngji will have a special stage ‘프락치 (Fraktsiya)’🗓️ 241220, 8:30PM KST#NCTDREAM @NCTsmtown_DREAM pic.twitter.com/2DU6gozXa7
— NCT DREAM CENTER (@NCTDREAMCENTER) December 18, 2024
Overall, the 2024 edition of KBS Song Festival is poised to be more than just a music show—it’s a celebration of K-pop’s bloom and global impact, artistic innovation, and the unifying power of music. Fans worldwide will tune in to witness an unforgettable night of performances that showcase the best of Korean music.
Where to watch
KBS Song Festival 2024 will be live-streamed from KBS World TV YouTube on December 20 at 8.30 p.m. KST onwards. Global fans can watch the show online through the YouTube livestream. The highlights of the mega ceremony will also be uploaded on the YouTube channel.
