[Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games] MBC Caster Ko Kang-yong Achieves No. 1 Viewership for Major Matches Including Basketball and Taekwondo

MBC [Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games] ‘Sincere about sports’ MBC caster Ko Kang-yong makes a successful debut on his first major sports big event stage! Recording No. 1 viewership for major matches including basketball and taekwondo, he has truly left an impression on viewers. “I will become a caster who delivers sincerity deliciously.” An honest Q&A revealed after finishing his first Asian Games!

- A massive release of sincere thoughts and behind-the-scenes stories from MBC caster Ko Kang-yong, who completed his first successful major international tournament broadcast! - MBC Ko Kang-yong, from men's and women's basketball to handball, taekwondo, and weightlifting! Maximizing immersion with customized broadcasting points for each sport! Passing the test by being chosen by viewers with No. 1 viewership! - What is the secret to the various chemistries with commentators revealed by MBC Ko Kang-yong? “The comfort coming from intimacy is the key to our breathing (synergy)” - MBC caster Ko Kang-yong, “Every match in sports is a single drama. I strive to create an atmosphere where I can rejoice and feel regret together with the viewers.”

MBC caster Ko Kang-yong, who debuted on the large-scale international sports stage through the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games broadcast, has left a strong impression on viewers with his fresh presentation and extraordinary sincerity toward sports.

Having received 1:1 customized lessons from veteran caster Kim Na-jin through the MBC entertainment program ‘I Live Alone’ and showing extraordinary passion by continuing broadcasting practice at baseball stadiums even on his days off, caster Ko Kang-yong held the microphone for various sports including men's and women's basketball, handball, taekwondo, and weightlifting during this tournament. In particular, he left a powerful impression on his first major international tournament stage by recording No. 1 viewership in major matches, including the men's basketball final.

The beginning of this Asian Games, Ko Kang-yong's first international tournament, was pure tension. Sitting in the broadcasting booth from the basketball qualifiers, which was the first match of the entire tournament schedule, Ko Kang-yong recalled, “At first, I think I only had the thought, ‘Let’s just not ruin the match.’ After finishing my first broadcast, I was so nervous that I sat blankly in the office for 30 minutes.” He continued, “Every day, I felt excited preparing for the next day's broadcast after today's broadcast ended, but it feels empty because it's already over. I learned every day and was truly very happy. It will be a first international tournament broadcast that I can never forget.”

The first goal Ko Kang-yong set while preparing for this tournament was ‘Let’s not do broadcasting that people don't want to hear.’ Ko Kang-yong revealed his passion as a sports caster by stating, “I contemplated the intensity of shouting during dramatic moments, the length of expressions to use in urgent situations, the way to deliver the narrative of each match, and even ‘easy but not cliché questions’ to draw out the expertise of the commentators.”

To this end, Ko Kang-yong approached each sport differently. In the fast-paced basketball, he identified the flow by writing down keywords for every quarter, and he incorporated the characters of the players, which he identified by looking up the players' SNS and videos of the national and club teams, into the broadcast.

Ko Kang-yong's unique broadcasting points also shone in other sports that might be unfamiliar. In weightlifting, he interestingly explained the rules where athletes can compete consecutively rather than proceeding in order, as well as the coaching staff's mental battles in the waiting room, and in taekwondo, he explained the scoring and penalty rules at the viewers' level. While approaching each sport in different ways, what Ko Kang-yong considered most important was the role of a ‘bridge’ connecting the athletes and the viewers. Ko Kang-yong explained, “I prepared many ‘atmosphere build-up’ comments to rejoice and feel regret together in every moment of all sports. It was my role to act as a bridge so that the athletes, who have prepared for four years, and the viewers could breathe together.”

In particular, basketball held a special meaning for Ko Kang-yong. As a ‘true basketball fan’ who has watched basketball for over 20 years, the fact that he was able to directly broadcast his favorite sport at his first sports big event was a special experience. Ko Kang-yong stated, “I had a desire to do really well if a basketball broadcasting opportunity was given to me. Because my affection was great, I prepared even more because I wanted to do better.” Based on his long experience watching basketball, he not only delivered the fast play immediately but also delivered interesting information about the players and the matches at the right time.

Furthermore, Ko Kang-yong picked the Korea-Japan final, which decided the gold medal in men's basketball, and the semi-final against China in women's basketball as the most memorable matches. The Korea-Japan final in men's basketball was special as it was his first international tournament final broadcast and his first gold medal call, and he recalled the women's basketball match against China as a match where he felt choked up from the moment the national anthem was played. In particular, regarding the moment of achieving victory against China, which has overwhelming physical conditions, and advancing to the final, he stated that the moment he left the closing comment, “The Yeorang-is are going to the final after overcoming the Great Wall,” is still vivid. By accompanying the gold medal journey of men's and women's basketball, he showed the charm of ‘broadcasting together’ by delivering not only the players' performance but also the stories and emotions contained within to the viewers.

Additionally, he showed various types of chemistry with commentators Ha Seung-jin, Kim Yeon-ju, Yoon Hyun-kyung, Oh Hye-ri, and Yeom Dong-cheol by meeting commentators in advance before the broadcast to have conversations and predict match results to create comfortable breathing. When asked to pick the best chemistry, Ko Kang-yong gave a witty answer, saying, “I think the breathing was good with everyone, to the point where I wonder if I was lucky. I want to express my sincere thanks to commentators Ha Seung-jin, Kim Yeon-ju, Yoon Hyun-kyung, and Oh Hye-ri, who shared the gold medal call with me, and commentator Yeom Dong-cheol, who was with me during the moment of weightlifter Park Hye-jeong's Korean new record,” and added, “I am a caster who has as much luck in people as I do in gold medals.”

The transfer of secrets from senior Kim Na-jin was also a great strength. Ko Kang-yong revealed, “I received many tips from senior Kim Na-jin, such as the narrative of every match, vocalization suitable for sports broadcasting, the ability to read situations, and quick wit,” and said, “Among the many know-hows senior Kim Na-jin taught me, the word that remains deepest in my heart is ‘sincerity.’” He added, “Watching a senior who has made his own path by being sincere about sports, I also gained conviction and confidence, and because there was sincerity toward basketball, the achievements of this Asian Games were also possible,” adding warmth to the two's tight ‘teacher-student chemistry.”

When asked about sports he would like to broadcast anew, he expressed his bold ambition, saying, “Any sport is fine. No matter what sport I am in charge of, I am confident that people will say, ‘I want to watch and am looking forward to it because it is a broadcast done by Ko Kang-yong.’” Along with this, he showed his unchanging affection for basketball, saying, “I think a basketball boom will come to South Korea, but I want to do basketball broadcasting for a long, long time.”

Having completed his successful first international tournament debut, Ko Kang-yong looked back on this Asian Games as a moment of ‘perfect alignment of hobby and profession’ and shared his future goals. He stated, “Ultimately, I want to become a caster who delivers sincerity deliciously. I want to deliver it deliciously and comfortably so that viewers can fully enjoy the delicious meal prepared by the athletes.” He also expressed his wish, “I want to stay with my seniors for a long time so as not to bring discredit to the reputation of MBC Sports.”

Caster Ko Kang-yong, who showed his own color with freshness, sincerity, and broadcasting that breathes with the viewers at his first large-scale international stage. As he has taken a successful first step based on long-standing affection for sports and thorough preparation, attention is gathering on which sports and matches he will be chosen by viewers once again in the future.

Translated from the Korean original with AI. The Korean article was itself written with AI assistance. Read the original (Korean)