[2026 Asian Games] SBS Men's Basketball Korea vs. Saudi Arabia 2049 Ratings 0.3%, Leading MBC in 1st Place

From the very first match of the South Korean delegation at the 2026 Nagoya Asian Games, SBS smiled by ranking 1st in 2049 viewership!

South Korean men's basketball crushes Saudi Arabia 82-66! The first victory for the South Korean delegation!

Lee Jung Hyun scores 23 points and Lee Woo Suk scores 18 points! 'Overwhelming firepower' with 21 consecutive points in the 3rd quarter.

South Korean men's basketball makes a pleasant start toward reclaiming the Asian Games throne for the first time in 12 years!

SBS commentator Cho Hyun Il praises the overwhelming performance, saying, "Defense stands out much more than offense."

SBS commentator Cho Hyun Il adds, "The pattern of Junghyun defending on the perimeter and Lee Jung Hyun participating in rebounds is very good."

SBS men's basketball Korea-Japan match, commentator Tony Akins takes the stage! The Korea-Japan match at 7 PM on Sunday with a basketball legend!

SBS proved its strength as a broadcasting powerhouse by recording the 1st place in 2049 viewership from the first official match of the South Korean delegation at the 2026 Nagoya Asian Games.

According to Nielsen Korea, a viewership rating company, the men's basketball Group A 1st round match between South Korea and Saudi Arabia broadcast by SBS the previous day recorded a 2049 viewership rating of 0.3% in both the nation and the metropolitan area. This figure is higher than MBC's 0.2% during the same time slot, with SBS leading in both the nation and the metropolitan area.

As the South Korean men's basketball national team delivered the first victory for the delegation by crushing Saudi Arabia 82-66, SBS also announced a pleasant start by taking 1st place in 2049 viewership from the first match of the tournament. The men's basketball Group A 1st round match, featuring the synergy between commentator Cho Hyun Il and caster Jung Woo Young, was the very first official match played among the South Korean delegation participating in this Asian Games. In particular, as South Korea aims to reclaim the gold medal for the first time in 12 years since the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, they signaled a smooth start toward reclaiming the throne with a valuable victory in their first match.

Starting with Yeo Jun Seok's first score, South Korea seized the early momentum as Lee Seung Hyun and Byeon Jun Hyung scored consecutively, finishing the 1st quarter with a 24-17 lead. In the 2nd quarter, they widened the gap using veteran Lee Seung Hyun's precise mid-range shots, and finished the first half with a 13-point lead at 41-28, based on strong defense and efficient rebounding. In the 3rd quarter, South Korea's firepower exploded. Starting with Lee Jung Hyun's first three-pointer, Lee Jung Hyun's consecutive perimeter shots also burst forth, perfectly blocking Saudi Arabia's pursuit.

In particular, while tightly locking down the opponent's offense, South Korea showed overwhelming performance by pouring in as many as 21 consecutive points. Commentator Cho Hyun Il praised South Korea's solid defense and the players' performances, saying, "Player Lee Woo Suk performed well in the sixth man role, and player Lee Seung Hyun did a good job repeatedly bothering player Al-Suwailem," and "They are managing the rebounds well." He continued to evaluate the stable defensive capability by analyzing, "The South Korean national team's performance so far stands out much more in defense than offense." In particular, he noted the team play created on the court, adding, "Players coming from the bench such as Lee Woo Suk and Junghyun are performing brilliantly," and "The pattern of Junghyun defending on the perimeter and Lee Jung Hyun participating in rebounds below is very good."

The most outstanding player of the day was undoubtedly Lee Jung Hyun. Lee Jung Hyun showed top-tier performance in both offense and defense, recording 23 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals, including three-pointers. As he showed his presence not only in shooting but also in rebounding, expectations are high for his performance in this Asian Games. Lee Woo Suk also provided solid support from the perimeter, recording 18 points. Lee Seung Hyun and Lee Jung Hyun also did their part in both offense and defense, leading the team to a complete victory.

Having overcome Saudi Arabia to rise to 1st place in Group A, South Korea will play their 2nd round match against Indonesia today (11th) at 4 PM. Following this, they will face their rival Japan in the Korea-Japan match on the 13th (Sun) at 7 PM to compete for the 1st place in the group. In particular, the Korea-Japan match on this day is expected to feature an even more heated broadcast as commentator Tony Akins serves as the commentator. Attention is focused on what path South Korea, aiming to reclaim the Asian Games summit after 12 years, will continue to take in the group stage.

Meanwhile, SBS will live broadcast the men's basketball Group A 2nd round match between South Korea and Indonesia today (11th) at 3:30 PM.

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◆ At a Glance

· Issuing Organization : SBS

· Category : Asian Games

· Distribution : September 11, 09:50

Source : SBS Press Release

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