K-Pop's biggest summer broadcast is taking shape: SBS has confirmed 19 artists for its 2026 Gayo Daejeon Summer, and the network says the marquee headliners are still to come.
What Is 2026 SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer — and When Does It Happen?
The 2026 SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer is SBS's mid-year K-Pop music festival, scheduled for August 9, 2026, at KINTEX in Goyang (Ilsan), Gyeonggi Province . SBS unveiled the first artist lineup of 11 acts on June 12, 2026, then added a second wave of 8 acts on June 23 — bringing the publicly confirmed roster to roughly 19 artists as of late June . More names are still expected.
This marks the third consecutive year SBS has staged a summer edition of its Gayo Daejeon franchise. The show originated as a year-end broadcast special, but the broadcaster expanded it into a biannual format starting with the inaugural summer edition in 2024, making the 2026 event the format's third iteration .
Crucially, the current 19-act roster is not the full picture. When SBS revealed the opening lineup, organizers explicitly flagged that "special headliners will be revealed soon," signaling that the marquee names are being held back for later announcements . For fans tracking who they might catch on August 9, that means the lineup is still very much a work in progress.
All 19 Confirmed Artists: First and Second Lineup Waves
The 19-act roster arrived in two waves. SBS unveiled the first lineup of 11 acts on June 12, 2026, then added 8 more on June 23, 2026, bringing the publicly confirmed count to roughly 19 ahead of the August 9 festival . Wave one spanned established global groups, fifth-generation chart drivers, and rookies; wave two stacked the bill with veteran names and additional 5th-gen acts.
The first wave (June 12) confirmed NCT's Taeyong, DAY6's Wonpil, ATEEZ, ZEROBASEONE, RIIZE, NCT WISH, MEOVV, Hearts2Hearts, ALLDAY PROJECT, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, and AND2BLE . The second wave (June 23) added NCT's Ten, BOL4 (Bolbbalgan4), Stray Kids, KISS OF LIFE, BABYMONSTER, izna, KickFlip, and EVAN .
Korean-language coverage framed the slate by tier. ATEEZ — currently on a world stadium tour — anchors the veteran/global contingent alongside Stray Kids, while ZEROBASEONE, RIIZE, NCT WISH, BABYMONSTER, and izna represent the fifth-generation cohort driving recent chart hits and global market expansion . MEOVV, Hearts2Hearts, ALLDAY PROJECT, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, AND2BLE, KickFlip, and EVAN round out the bill as emerging or rookie-tier acts.
| Artist | Announcement wave | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| ATEEZ | Wave 1 (Jun 12) | Veteran / global |
| NCT's Taeyong | Wave 1 (Jun 12) | Veteran / global |
| DAY6's Wonpil | Wave 1 (Jun 12) | Veteran / global |
| ZEROBASEONE | Wave 1 (Jun 12) | 5th-gen chart driver |
| RIIZE | Wave 1 (Jun 12) | 5th-gen chart driver |
| NCT WISH | Wave 1 (Jun 12) | 5th-gen chart driver |
| MEOVV | Wave 1 (Jun 12) | Emerging / rookie |
| Hearts2Hearts | Wave 1 (Jun 12) | Emerging / rookie |
| ALLDAY PROJECT | Wave 1 (Jun 12) | Emerging / rookie |
| ALPHA DRIVE ONE | Wave 1 (Jun 12) | Emerging / rookie |
| AND2BLE | Wave 1 (Jun 12) | Emerging / rookie |
| Stray Kids | Wave 2 (Jun 23) | Veteran / global |
| NCT's Ten | Wave 2 (Jun 23) | Veteran / global |
| BOL4 (Bolbbalgan4) | Wave 2 (Jun 23) | Veteran / global |
| BABYMONSTER | Wave 2 (Jun 23) | 5th-gen chart driver |
| izna | Wave 2 (Jun 23) | 5th-gen chart driver |
| KISS OF LIFE | Wave 2 (Jun 23) | Emerging / 4th-gen |
| KickFlip | Wave 2 (Jun 23) | Emerging / rookie |
| EVAN | Wave 2 (Jun 23) | Emerging / rookie |
Further waves are expected before August 9. SBS has not disclosed how many additional acts remain or the dates of the next announcements, and the special headliners are still being held back . For fans assessing lineup depth, the current 19 names mark a strong base rather than the finished bill.
Why the Staged Headliner Reveal Has Fans Watching
The staged rollout is a deliberate marketing rhythm, and it is keeping the festival in fan conversation across multiple news cycles. SBS confirmed an 11-act first wave on June 12, 2026, then added eight more names on June 23, 2026, while explicitly holding back its "special headliners" for a later reveal . Each drop resets attention ahead of the August 9 show at KINTEX .
What sharpens the anticipation is that the confirmed roster already carries headliner-caliber weight. ATEEZ arrive on the back of a world stadium tour, and the second wave added Stray Kids, BABYMONSTER, and NCT's Ten . If acts of that scale are positioned mid-bill rather than at the top, fans reason, the still-withheld marquee names could be larger still.
"Special headliners will be revealed soon," SBS said in its lineup announcement, signaling that the marquee names were being held back for later reveals (source: Soompi).
The timing also matters to the franchise. 2026 is the third consecutive summer edition since SBS expanded Gayo Daejeon into a biannual festival in 2024, and the year-over-year growth in lineup size reflects an ambition to make the mid-year show a flagship event . In the absence of an official headliner, fan communities are speculating around contract cycles, comeback timing, and which major groups have August gaps, with the unannounced slots fueling steady online discussion until SBS confirms more names.
KINTEX Venue, Ticketing, and What International Fans Should Know
The show takes place at KINTEX (Korea International Exhibition Center) in Goyang, in the Ilsan district northwest of Seoul, on August 9, 2026 . From central Seoul, the venue is reachable in roughly 50–60 minutes via Subway Line 3 toward Daehwa Station, or by direct intercity bus. Because August 9 falls on a Sunday , fans planning weekend travel should account for heavier transit and accommodation demand around the exhibition complex.
Ticketing details were not disclosed in the lineup announcements . SBS has historically routed Gayo Daejeon sales through major Korean platforms such as Interpark or YES24, typically opening reservations several weeks ahead of the event date. With no on-sale window yet confirmed, the practical step for now is to monitor SBS's official program page and established fan-community channels for the moment ticketing goes live.
For fans traveling from abroad, two logistics points matter most. First, Korean ticketing sites often require local payment methods or phone verification, so overseas buyers frequently rely on proxy services or friends in Korea to secure seats once the queue opens. Second, Ilsan-area hotels and guesthouses near KINTEX fill quickly ahead of large K-Pop events, so booking should follow promptly once a confirmed date and ticket window align.
The takeaway: the date (August 9), venue (KINTEX), and a 19-act roster are locked, but ticketing and the special headliners remain open. International fans who set up SBS page alerts now — and prepare a payment or proxy plan in advance — will be best positioned to act the moment sales and headliner names are confirmed .
Frequently asked questions
When and where is SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer 2026?
The 2026 SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer takes place on August 9, 2026, at KINTEX (Korea International Exhibition Center) in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province . KINTEX sits just northwest of Seoul in the Ilsan area, reachable from the city center in roughly 50–60 minutes by subway or bus. One social post referenced an August 8 date, but the primary English outlets and Korean wire coverage consistently cite August 9 .
Which artists are confirmed for 2026 SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer?
As of June 23, 2026, 19 acts are confirmed across two announcement waves . The lineup includes ATEEZ, Stray Kids, ZEROBASEONE, RIIZE, BABYMONSTER, NCT WISH, NCT's Taeyong and Ten, DAY6's Wonpil, BOL4 (Bolbbalgan4), izna, KISS OF LIFE, MEOVV, Hearts2Hearts, ALLDAY PROJECT, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, AND2BLE, KickFlip, and EVAN. SBS has signaled that further waves are expected before the show.
Who are the headliners for SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer 2026?
SBS has not yet named the special headliners. Organizers explicitly teased that "special headliners will be revealed soon," holding the marquee names back for a later stage of the rollout . Among the 19 confirmed acts, ATEEZ — announced on the back of their world stadium tour — and Stray Kids are the highest-profile names so far .
How can international fans buy tickets for SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer 2026?
Ticketing has not been announced in the sources reviewed, and SBS has not disclosed a sale date . SBS events typically run through Korean platforms such as Interpark or YES24, which generally require a Korean account or a proxy/global ticket service for overseas buyers. Watch SBS's official program channels for confirmed sale dates .
Is SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer a new event?
The summer edition is relatively new but not brand-new in 2026. SBS originally staged Gayo Daejeon only as a year-end broadcast special, then expanded it into a biannual festival with the inaugural summer edition in 2024 . The 2026 event marks the third consecutive year SBS has held a mid-year edition .
