Krea Studio

“You could not write it like this even if it were a novel”

It is expected that the disclosure of the previously hidden 240 points from the national judging panel on ‘2026 Korea-Japan King of Singers’ will heighten tension by potentially reshaping the balance.

With only four days left until the finale of ‘2026 Korea-Japan King of Singers’, the country that will take the ultimate victory between Korea and Japan will finally be decided.

The MBN program ‘2026 Korea-Japan King of Singers’ has firmly held the No. 1 spot in combined Tuesday variety ratings across terrestrial, general programming, and cable for four consecutive episodes, maintaining an unchallenged lead without once losing the Tuesday variety throne since its first broadcast. Transcending genres, it has showcased the musical appeal of both Korea and Japan to the world, expanded cultural exchange, and drawn new fandoms with cultural influence.

In episode 4 last week, after a bloodboiling showdown among active singers from both countries, and with only the 120 points from the celebrity judging panel revealed, Korea was ahead of Japan 4 to 3. As a result, attention turned to where the 240 undisclosed points from the national judging panels of the two countries would go.

In the fifth and final episode to be aired on the 12th, during the remaining matchups in the third and last round of the finals that will decide the ultimate outcome between the two countries, fierce battles among the remaining active singers of Korea and Japan unfold, suffusing the venue with tension. In particular, as the competition proceeds, another tied stage between the two countries emerges, delivering a shock. In this nailbiting, neckandneck contest, the celebrity judging panel lets out a collective gasp, saying “You would not write it like this even if it were a novel”. Curiosity rises over the stage by the active singers of Korea and Japan that once again recorded a dizzying tie in the third round of the finals.

In addition, there appears an alltimegreat, onceinalifetime stage that one could never see anywhere except on ‘Korea-Japan King of Singers’. Immediately after the stage by the active singers, MC Shin Dong-yeop says, “Both performers are truly admirable. I think the song choices carried a spirit of respect for the other country,” conveying special regard to the two active singers who highlighted the cultural presence of both countries. Who will be the protagonists who added a special meaning unique to ‘2026 Korea-Japan King of Singers’? With the doordie fate of both Korea and Japan at stake, attention focuses on the final result of the third round of the finals.

The Japanese king of singers, Yudai, also delivers a stellar performance in episode 5, unleashing tireless, sharp banter. Watching the stage of one active singer, Yudai springs to his feet for a standing ovation with nonstop applause and, declaring “It was an overwhelming stage befitting the climax”, expresses praise with his whole body, further stoking the heated atmosphere.

The production team stated, “In the final episode airing on the 12th, the final winning country of ‘2026 Korea-Japan King of Singers’ will be determined. Please stay tuned until the end to see whether the Republic of Korea will write an invincible threepeat legend again in 2026 following 2024 and 2025, or whether Japan will avenge two years of defeat and take the victory.”

MBN ‘2026 Korea-Japan King of Singers’ is the only KoreaJapan national music competition of its kind in the world, where the TOP7 from ‘Active King of Singers - Gahee (Japan edition)’, produced directly by Krea Studio, and the TOP7 from the Republic of Korea’s ‘Active King of Singers 3’ face off as national representatives with mission and pride on the line. The fifth and final episode airs on the 12th.