Ahn Jung-hwan and Kim Sung-ju duo, did it again.. Swept the top spot from the start

*This content was translated by AI.

The duo of Ahn Jung-hwan and Kim Sung-ju smiled.

MBC's live broadcast of the '2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games' featuring Ahn Jung-hwan and Kim Sung-ju smiled from the very beginning. Sweeping the number one spot in viewership ratings from the first men's football match of the Asian Games, they recorded a peak viewership rating of 4.6%.

In the first men's football match of the '2026 Aichi·Nagoya Asian Games' broadcast on the 15th, Kim Sung-ju caster and Ahn Jung-hwan commentator met with viewers.

Earlier, MBC drew significant attention from the start of the tournament by featuring caster Kim Sung-ju and commentator Ahn Jung-hwan. At their first test in Qatar, MBC recorded number one rankings ahead of other networks with national household viewership at 3.0%, metropolitan area household viewership at 2.8%, and 2054 age group viewership at 1.2%. In particular, at the end of the first half when Eom Ji-seong scored a hat-trick, instantaneous viewership soared to 4.6%, also ranking number one for peak per-minute viewership (based on metropolitan area household ratings).

In the first group stage match of Group D in the men's football tournament at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, South Korea defeated Qatar 4-1, announcing a pleasant start toward their fourth consecutive championship. MBC's Kim Sung-ju caster and Ahn Jung-hwan commentator, along with Seo Hyung-wook commentator who broadcast live from Nagoya, vividly conveyed the decisive victory of the first match with their fantastic broadcasting chemistry.

Despite adverse conditions such as a waterlogged field, South Korea showcased superior precision in passing and overwhelming game performance. Aggressively pushing the opponent from the first half, South Korea secured an early lead when Eom Ji-seong scored three goals in the first half alone, achieving a hat-trick.

The MBC broadcast team's legendary seamless chemistry also shone. Before the match began, Ahn Jung-hwan commentator said, "I hope we can secure four consecutive gold medals this time and bring new hope to South Korean football," adding, "Since it is raining, precise passing and control of pace are crucial. Delicate ball management close to the feet will be the key point of today's match." Caster Kim Sung-ju also raised the excitement for the start of the game by saying, "An invigorating start is expected."

South Korea's match benefited not only from the proven chemistry between Kim Sung-ju and Ahn Jung-hwan but also from Seo Hyung-wook commentator's role in smoothly adjusting the pace between the two. This perfect trio of the long-standing MBC broadcast team further enhanced the enjoyment of the game.

MBC will live broadcast the men's basketball quarterfinals match between South Korea and Jordan at 9:30 a.m. on the 16th, with commentator Ha Seung-jin and caster Ko Kang-yong leading the coverage. Following that, starting from 3:40 p.m., they will live broadcast the women's volleyball Group D preliminary match between South Korea and Hong Kong, hosted by commentator Jang So-yeon and caster Jung Byung-mun.

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*This content was translated by AI.