NHK’s Excessive Sensitivity Shifts K-POP Coverage

K-POP groups did not contribute much to the ratings.

In the live broadcast, the special segment featuring the debut performance of the popular rock band B’z and their live singing created a lot of excitement. However, for NHK, which has been experimenting in recent years to attract younger viewers, the ratings by artists did not seem to align with the production team’s expectations.

“The top performer was MISIA (46), who performed last, with a rating of 35.1% (according to Video Research, Kanto region). The second place was a tribute to the late Toshiyuki Nishida, with 34.5%. Following that, B’z came in fourth with 34.3%, Mariko Takahashi (75) at sixth with 33.8%, Iruka (74) at eighth with 33.7%, Sayuri Ishikawa (66) at ninth with 33.6%, and Kousetsu Minami (75) and Kiyoshi Hikawa (47) tied at tenth with 33.5%. Although the order of performances played a role, it became clear that older artists, supported by older viewers, garnered the highest ratings.

ILLIT, the top K-POP group, had a rating of 28.7% for their debut performance, with the other three K-POP groups also averaging around 30%. It became clear that their contribution to the ratings was minimal. Despite this, NHK’s excessive sensitivity toward K-POP has led to a growing debate within the station about the need for K-POP acts. This year, there may be a reduction in the number of K-POP acts,” said a sports newspaper reporter who covered the event.

The average household ratings for last year’s Kohaku were 29.0% for the first part and 32.7% for the second part. These numbers showed a slight increase from the worst-ever ratings of the previous year. Given that this year’s Kohaku was said to have excited the audience, the ratings by artists may offer insights into potential improvements for the future.