Inkigayo (; English title: The Music Trend, previously Popular Song) is a South Korean music program broadcast by SBS. It airs live every Sunday. The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who perform on stage. It is broadcast from the SBS Open Hall in Deungchon-dong, Gangseo District, Seoul.
History Inkigayo debuted as SBS Popular Song in 1991 as a chart show, but was canceled in fall 1993 because it was replaced by TV Gayo 20 (TV 가요20). It was later revived in 1998 with its original title and format. In 2003, the chart format was removed and was replaced by Take 7, where seven of the most popular artists from the week are featured and the most popular artist receives the award for Mutizen Song.
In spring 2007, the program changed from a recorded broadcast to a live broadcast in an effort to boost ratings, as well as changing the English name to The Music Trend. On November 2, 2008, the program moved from 3:20 pm to 4:10 pm Sunday afternoons, airing before Good Sunday, also to boost ratings. In spring 2010, the program expanded to 70 minutes, beginning at 3:50 pm every Sunday.
On July 10, 2012, SBS announced it was revamping the show and removing the Take 7 system and Mutizen Song award, explaining that "we believe that rather than the ranking system, the most important thing is the genre K-Pop being recognized worldwide. Therefore, we have decided to abolish the system after much discussion. There's really no meaning behind a ranking system. We have decided to undergo this change in hopes that viewers can just enjoy the music. There are a lot of K-Pop stars in the music industry that have talent. We wanted to break free from the repetitive system, in which artists release new songs and perform, so we plan on redesigning our system by having the concept of more special stages. For viewers to enjoy the music, we will have more collaboration stages and much more." The revamped show, without Take 7 and Mutizen Song award, began on July 15, 2012.
On March 3, 2013, the program announced the revival of the chart system with Inkigayo Chart. The new chart is a collaboration with the Music Industry Association of Korea's Gaon Chart, and began March 17, 2013.
Hosts
DateHost SBS Popular Song (1991–1993) December 15, 1991 – December 29, 1992 Seo Sae-won May 2 – June 20, 1993 Bae Chul-su, Kim Hee-sun SBS Popular Song (1998–2007) March 1 – May 24, 1998 Kim Seung-hyun, Jun Ji-hyun June 28 – November 29, 1998 Lee Dong-gun, Kim Gyu-ri December 6, 1998 – April 16, 2000 Kim Jin, Kim So-yeon April 23 – December 31, 2000 Ahn Jae-mo, Kim Min-hee January 7 – March 9, 2001 Ahn Jae-mo, Son Tae-young March 18 – July 29, 2001 Song Chang-hwan, So Yoo-jin August 5, 2001 – January 13, 2002 , So Yoo-jin January 20 – August 18, 2002 Kim Jae-won, Kim Jung-hwa August 25, 2002 – February 2, 2003 Kim Jeong-hoon, Kim Jung-hwa February 9 – August 24, 2003 Kangta, Yu-min September 7, 2003 – October 24, 2004 Kim Dong-wan, Park Han-byul October 31, 2004 – June 5, 2005 Kim Dong-wan, Han Ye-seul June 12 – October 23, 2005 Andy, Park Hye-won November 20, 2005 – April 16, 2006 Andy, Han Hyo-joo April 23, 2006 – February 18, 2007 Andy, Ku Hye-sun Inkigayo (The Music Trend) (2007–present) February 25 – October 7, 2007 Kim Hee-chul, Jang Keun-suk November 11, 2007 – May 4, 2008 Kim Hee-chul, Song Ji-hyo May 11 – November 30, 2008 Eun Ji-won, Heo Yi-jae December 7, 2008 – January 11, 2009 Eun Ji-won, Leeteuk, Han Seung-yeon January 18, 2009 – July 19, 2009 Eun Ji-won, Yu Seul-ah, Lee Hong-gi July 26, 2009 – January 24, 2010 Ha Yeon-joo, Taecyeon, Wooyoung February 7 – July 11, 2010 Taecyeon, Wooyoung, Sulli July 18, 2010 – March 13, 2011 Jung Yong-hwa, Sulli, Jo Kwon March 20 – November 13, 2011 Jo Kwon, Sulli, Lee Gi-kwang, IU November 20, 2011 – May 27, 2012 Goo Ha-ra, IU, Nicole June 3 – August 19, 2012 Goo Ha-ra, Lee Jong-suk, Nicole August 26 – December 2, 2012 IU, Lee Jong-suk December 16, 2012 – July 28, 2013 IU, Hwang Kwang-hee, Lee Hyun-woo August 4, 2013 – January 26, 2014 Hwang Kwang-hee, Lee Hyun-woo, Bang Min-ah February 2 – November 9, 2014 Hwang Kwang-hee, Lee Yu-bi, Suho, Byun Baek-hyun November 16 – December 14, 2014 Hwang Kwang-hee, Kim You-jung, Suho, Byun Baek-hyun December 28, 2014 – April 5, 2015 Hwang Kwang-hee, Kim You-jung, Hong Jong-hyun April 12, 2015 – August 30, 2015 Kim You-jung, Hong Jong-hyun, Jackson Wang September 5, 2015 Kim You-jung, Jackson Wang September 13, 2015 – April 3, 2016 Kim You-jung, Jackson Wang, Yook Sung-jae April 10, 2016 – May 29, 2016 Jackson Wang, Yook Sung-jae July 3, 2016 – January 22, 2017 Gong Seung-yeon, Jeongyeon, Kim Min-seok February 5, 2017 – February 4, 2018 Park Jin-young, Kim Jisoo, Doyoung February 18, 2018 – October 28, 2018 Mingyu, Jung Chae-yeon, Song Kang November 11, 2018 – February 3, 2019 Mingyu, Jung Chae-yeon February 17, 2019 – October 6, 2019 Mingyu, Shin Eun-soo October 20, 2019 – February 28, 2021 Minhyuk, Jaehyun, Lee Na-eun March 7, 2021 – March 27, 2022 Jihoon, Sungchan, An Yu-jin April 3, 2022 – April 2, 2023Roh Jeong-eui, Choi Yeon-jun, Seo Bum-june April 9, 2023 – July 16, 2023 Choi Yeon-jun, Hyungwon, Kim Ji-eun July 23, 2023 – April 14, 2024 Choi Yeon-jun, Woonhak, Park Ji-hu April 28, 2024 – September 14, 2025 Moon Seong-hyun, Han Yu-jin, Leeseo October 19, 2025 – December 7, 2025 Shinyu, EJ, LeeseoJanuary 2026 – presentShinyu, EJ, Yihyun
Segments Super Rookie Every week, a "rookie" artist or group performed live on stage. At the end of the month, a "Super Rookie" was chosen, through votes from the Inkigayo homepage, and was featured that month. Official Inkigayo homepage. How is Super Rookie chosen? . SBS. Retrieved September 26, 2009 This segment ended at the end of 2010.
2008 April – Peter () May – Deb () June – NAVI July – H7 August – TGUS September – 2AM October – Symmetry November – IU December – XING
2009 January – ZY February – Achtung () March – Maydoni () April – JUMPER May – AJ June – Answer July – SOOLj () August – 4Minute September – Supreme Team October – B2Y November – SHU-I December – Beast
2010 January – Jung Suk () February – Shaun L () March – MIJI () June – Kim Yeo-hee () July – Ari () August – Teen Top September – Go Eun () October – Bohemian () November – Bebe Mignon () December – One Way
Digital Music Charts Formerly known as Mobile Ranking, the Digital Music Charts takes into consideration the popularity of songs through downloads on mobile phones as well as downloads on music sites. Every week, it features five ranks with a special guest(s) to host the segment. This segment was abandoned mid-2009.
Campaign Songs Throughout each episode, various artists are featured in campaign songs that raise awareness for certain topics or issues. Such campaigns include: safe driving, drinking milk, piracy, and various local events.
Take 7 Take 7 is the representative segment of Inkigayo. Every week, seven of the most popular songs of that week are featured, where most artists will perform. At the end of the show, the Mutizen Song ("Mutizen" is a portmanteau of "music" and "netizen", symbolizing a song chosen by netizens) which is the most popular song of the week, receives the award. Official Inkigayo homepage. Take 7 . SBS. Retrieved September 26, 2009 This has replaced the regular countdown charts format seen in most music programs and eliminates the need to rank artists. One song can receive the award a maximum of three times; the following week, it is removed from the Take 7 list. This system was abolished on July 10, 2012.
First Place winners 1998
February 1998.02.01 – Turbo – 회상 (December) 1998.02.08 – Turbo – 회상 (December) 1998.02.15 – Turbo – 회상 (December) 1998.02.22 – S.E.S. – I'm Your Girl
March 1998.03.01 – S.E.S. – I'm Your Girl 1998.03.08 – Park Jin-young – Honey 1998.03.15 – Park Jin-young – Honey 1998.03.22 – Shin Seung-hun – 지킬수 없는 약속 (A Promise I Can't Follow) 1998.03.29 – Shin Seung-hun – 지킬수 없는 약속 (A Promise I Can't Follow)
April 1998.04.05 – Shin Seung-hun – 지킬수 없는 약속 (A Promise I Can't Follow) 1998.04.12 – S.E.S. – Oh, My Love 1998.04.19 – Cool – 애상 (Sorrow) 1998.04.26 – Cool – 애상 (Sorrow)
May 1998.05.03 – Cool – 애상 (Sorrow) 1998.05.10 – Cool – 애상 (Sorrow) 1998.05.17 – Im Chang-jung – 별이 되어 (Be A Star) 1998.05.24 – Im Chang-jung – 별이 되어 (Be A Star) 1998.05.31 – No Show
June 1998.06.07 – Yoo Seung-jun – 나나나 (Na Na Na) 1998.06.14 – Yoo Seung-jun – 나나나 (Na Na Na) 1998.06.21 – Yoo Seung-jun – 나나나 (Na Na Na) 1998.06.28 – Yoo Seung-jun – 나나나 (Na Na Na)
July 1998.07.05 – Diva – 왜 불러 (Why Do U Call Me) 1998.07.12 – Kim Min-jong – 착한 사랑 (Sincere Love) 1998.07.19 – Kim Min-jong – 착한 사랑 (Sincere Love) 1998.07.26 – Kim Min-jong – 착한 사랑 (Sincere Love)
August 1998.08.02 – Kim Min-jong – 착한 사랑 (Sincere Love) 1998.08.09 – Kim Hyun-jung – 그녀와의 이별 (Breakup With Her) 1998.08.16 – Kim Hyun-jung – 그녀와의 이별 (Breakup With Her) 1998.08.23 – Sechs Kies – Road Fighter 1998.08.30 – Sechs Kies – Road Fighter
September 1998.09.06 – Fin.K.L – 내 남자친구에게 (To My Boyfriend) 1998.09.13 – Fin.K.L – 내 남자친구에게 (To My Boyfriend) 1998.09.20 – Uhm Jung-hwa – 포이즌 (Poison) 1998.09.27 – Sechs Kies – 무모한 사랑 (Reckless Love)
October 1998.10.04 – Uhm Jung-hwa – 포이즌 (Poison) 1998.10.11 – Sechs Kies – 무모한 사랑 (Reckless Love) 1998.10.18 – H.O.T. – 열맞춰 (Line Up) 1998.10.25 – No Show
November 1998.11.01 – No Show 1998.11.08 – H.O.T. – 열맞춰 (Line Up) 1998.11.15 – Fin.K.L – 루비 (Ruby) 1998.11.22 – Turbo – 애인이 생겼어요 (I Got a Girlfriend) 1998.11.29 – H.O.T. – 빛 (Hope)
December 1998.12.06 – H.O.T. – 빛 (Hope) 1998.12.13 – H.O.T. – 빛 (Hope) 1998.12.20 – Sechs Kies – 커플 (Couple) 1998.12.27 – No Show
1999
January 1999.01.03 – Sechs Kies – 커플 (Couple) 1999.01.10 – S.E.S. – Dreams Come True 1999.01.17 – Turbo – X 1999.01.24 – 1TYM – 1TYM 1999.01.31 – S.E.S. – 너를 사랑해 (I Love You)
February 1999.02.07 – 1TYM – 1TYM 1999.02.14 – 1TYM – 1TYM 1999.02.21 – No Show 1999.02.28 – S.E.S. – 너를 사랑해 (I Love You)
March 1999.03.07 – S.E.S. – 너를 사랑해 (I Love You) 1999.03.14 – Cool – Misery 1999.03.21 – Roo'ra – 기도 (Good) 1999.03.28 – Roo'ra – 기도 (Good)
April 1999.04.04 – Roo'ra – 기도 (Good) 1999.04.11 – Kim Hyun-jung – 되돌아온 이별 (Separation Can Come Back) 1999.04.18 – Kim Hyun-jung – 되돌아온 이별 (Separation Can Come Back) 1999.04.25 – Kim Min-jong – 비원 (One's Earnest Prayer)
May 1999.05.02 – Im Chang-jung – Love Affair 1999.05.09 – Yoo Seung-jun – 열정 (Passion) 1999.05.16 – Yoo Seung-jun – 열정 (Passion) 1999.05.23 – No Show 1999.05.30 – Yoo Seung-jun – 열정 (Passion)
June 1999.06.06 – No Show 1999.06.13 – Fin.K.L – 영원한 사랑 (Forever Love) 1999.06.20 – Fin.K.L – 영원한 사랑 (Forever Love) 1999.06.27 – Fin.K.L – 영원한 사랑 (Forever Love)
July 1999.07.04 – Shinhwa – T.O.P 1999.07.11 – Yoo Seung-jun – 슬픈 침묵 (Sad Silence) 1999.07.18 – Shinhwa – T.O.P 1999.07.25 – Uhm Jung-hwa – 몰라 (I Don't Know)
August 1999.08.01 – Fin.K.L –자존심 (Pride) 1999.08.08 – Country Kko Kko – 일심 (One Heart) 1999.08.15 – Shinhwa – Yo! 1999.08.22 – Shinhwa – Yo! 1999.08.29 – Baby V.O.X. – Get Up 1999.08.29 – Lolly (singer) – Viva La Radio September 1999.09.05 – Park Ji-yoon – 가버려 (Go Away) 1999.09.12 – Sechs Kies – Com' Back 1999.09.19 – Sechs Kies – Com' Back 1999.09.26 – Sechs Kies – Com' Back
October 1999.10.03 – H.O.T. – 아이야 (I Yah) 1999.10.10 – H.O.T. – 아이야 (I Yah) 1999.10.17 – No Show 1999.10.24 – H.O.T. – 아이야 (I Yah) 1999.10.31 – Baby V.O.X. – Killer
November 1999.11.07 – Sechs Kies – 예감 (Premonition) 1999.11.14 – Jo Sung-mo – For Your Soul 1999.11.21 – Sechs Kies – 예감 (Premonition) 1999.11.28 – Lee Jung-hyun – 와 (Wa)
December 1999.12.05 – Lee Jung-hyun – 와 (Wa) 1999.12.12 – Fin.K.L – To My Prince 1999.12.19 – Yoo Seung-jun – 비전 (Vision) 1999.12.26 – Yoo Seung-jun – 비전 (Vision)
2000
January 2000.01.02 – Yoo Seung-jun – 비전 (Vision) 2000.01.09 – g.o.d – 사랑해 그리고 기억해 (Love and Memory)