[2026 Asian Games] MBC Men's Football Broadcast: Ratings Hit 4.6% During Eom Ji-sung's Hat-trick Moment

MBC, led by the "legendary duo" Ahn Jung-hwan and Kim Sung-joo, swept the No. 1 viewership ratings starting from the very first men's football match of the Asian Games! Peak viewership reached 4.6%.

- MBC ranked No. 1 in nationwide, metropolitan, and 2054 viewership - Ratings soared to 4.6% during the moment of Eom Ji-sung's hat-trick - Republic of Korea makes a refreshing start toward a 4th consecutive title by crushing Qatar 4-1 with an 'Eom Ji-sung hat-trick' - Kim Sung-joo, Ahn Jung-hwan, and Seo Hyung-wook say, "We will perform to light up the darkness of Korean football! 'Another Ji-sung' Eom Ji-sung is in perfect crazy mode"

MBC swept the No. 1 viewership ratings from the first men's football match of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. MBC drew significant attention from the start of the tournament with caster Kim Sung-joo and commentator Ahn Jung-hwan leading the broadcast.

In its first test against Qatar, MBC recorded No. 1 rankings, surpassing other networks with nationwide household ratings (3.0%), metropolitan household ratings (2.8%), and 2054 viewership (1.2%), proving with numbers the evaluation that "Football is MBC." In particular, at the end of the first half when Eom Ji-sung recorded a hat-trick, the instantaneous viewership soared to 4.6%, recording the highest minute-by-minute viewership (based on metropolitan household ratings).

In the first match of Group D preliminary round for men's football at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, the Republic of Korea signaled a pleasant start toward their 4th consecutive tournament title by defeating Qatar 4-1. MBC caster Kim Sung-joo, and commentators Ahn Jung-hwan and Seo Hyung-wook, who conducted the live broadcast on-site in Nagoya, vividly delivered the thrilling landslide victory of the first match with fantastic broadcasting chemistry.

On this day, despite the adverse conditions of a match played in the rain, the Republic of Korea showed superior, precise passing and overwhelming performance. Having heavily pressured the opponent from the first half, the Republic of Korea secured an early lead as Eom Ji-sung exploded with a hat-trick of 3 goals in the first half alone. They completely seized the initiative, including an additional goal by Kim Myung-jun, which demonstrated diversity in attacking routes. Except for the moment they conceded a goal due to a temporary lapse in concentration at the end of the match, it was a game where they overwhelmed Qatar in all areas of attack and defense.

The legendary broadcasting chemistry of the MBC crew also shone. Before the match began, commentator Ahn Jung-hwan noted, "I hope we can definitely win our 4th consecutive gold medal and bring new hope to Korean football," adding, "Because it is raining, the precision of passing and control of strength are important. Delicate ball control at the feet is the point of today's match." Caster Kim Sung-joo also raised the heat of the match start, saying, "A refreshing start is expected."

When Eom Ji-sung's opening goal arrived just 7 minutes into the match, caster Kim Sung-joo cheered, "He made the first goal from the first shot. It's a thumbs-up goal," and commentator Seo Hyung-wook could not hide his admiration, saying, "He made a goal in 7 minutes, just like his jersey number. He is the 'Another Ji-sung' of Korean football." As Eom Ji-sung continued to show peak sensation by scoring a multi-goal, commentator Ahn Jung-hwan drew laughter with a witty comment: "If every child had an 'Um-ka (Mom's Card),' our national team has the number 7 'Um-ka (Eom Ji-sung Card).'" When Eom Ji-sung completed his hat-trick in the first half, Ahn Jung-hwan praised him, saying, "Today the limit is unlimited. He showed all the performance and finishing ability an attacker can show," while Kim Sung-joo shouted, "Today is Eom Ji-sung's crazy mode. 3 out of 4 shots are goals," and Seo Hyung-wook spared no praise, saying, "He is today's Best Actor. If he shoots, it's a goal."

Regarding the players' offensive and defensive balance and performance, Ahn Jung-hwan evaluated that they completely overwhelmed the opponent, saying, "We were able to take the lead because we dominated the midfield, preventing the opponent from passing. The Republic of Korea players showed a high level of passing even in rainy conditions." Seo Hyung-wook also added a positive evaluation, saying, "The attacking routes became more diverse with Kim Myung-jun's additional goal." However, when a goal was conceded at the end of the match, the broadcasting team did not forget to give cold advice. Ahn Jung-hwan emphasized, "We are leading by a large margin, but as we move forward, the schedule becomes tighter. The drop in concentration is something that must be supplemented," and Seo Hyung-wook left advice for future matches, saying, "It is important to stay focused without letting your guard down until the end. There is no such thing as a flawless match, but management is needed to minimize damage."

On this day, the perfect trio of the MBC broadcasting crew, who have worked together for a long time, further increased the fun of the match, adding the proven chemistry of Kim Sung-joo and Ahn Jung-hwan along with the role of commentator Seo Hyung-wook, who flexibly adjusted the pace between the two.

Meanwhile, MBC will live broadcast the men's basketball quarterfinals of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games between the Republic of Korea and Jordan from 9:30 AM today (16th) with commentator Ha Seung-jin and caster Ko Kang Yong. Following this, from 3:40 PM, the women's volleyball Group D preliminary match between the Republic of Korea and Hong Kong, China, will be live broadcasted with commentator Jang So-yeon and caster Jeong Byeong-mun.

◆ At a Glance

· Issuing Organization: MBC

· Category: Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games

· Distribution: September 16, 07:30

Source: MBC Press Release

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