Korean Singer Cha Jiyeon's Show Hits 5.6% Rating

MBN's '2026 Korea-Japan Singer Battle' recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 5.6% in its first episode, securing the No. 1 spot among all variety programs in its time slot and on Tuesday.

The first episode featured the Korean TOP7 (Hong Ji-yoon, Cha Ji-yeon, Lee Soo-yeon, Koo Soo-kyung, Kang Hye-yeon, Kim Tae-yeon, Solji) and the Japanese TOP7 (Hon Inoue, Azuma Aki, Natalia D, Tae Ri, Shimokita Hina, Nagai Manami, Arakawa Karen). Park Seo-jin, Yudai, Jeon Yu-jin, Lyn, and Kangnam participated as special judges.

MC Shin Dong-yeop explained the 'best of three' rule, stating that the first episode would be a preliminary round called '100 Seconds Ahead' to analyze the opposing team's strategy before the main competition. Contestants would score the opposing team's 100-second performance, and the winner would get the chance to perform the entire song at the gala show.

The first match was between Korea's Kim Tae-yeon and Japan's Arakawa Karen. Kim Tae-yeon received 617 points for Jin Sung's 'Don't Go,' while Arakawa Karen received 604 points for MISIA's 'Because I Miss You.' Arakawa Karen revealed that she chose the song while thinking of her father, with whom she has had no contact since her parents' divorce, bringing tears to the audience's eyes.

Next, Solji scored 612 points for Im Hee-sook's 'My Only Love is Gone,' and Shimokita Hina sang Ailee's 'I Will Show You' in Korean, earning 650 points and boosting the Japanese team's score. Lee Soo-yeon scored 612 points for Yoon Soo-hyun's 'Flower Road,' and Nagai Manami recorded 495 points for 10CM's 'Awkward.'