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After over two long years, every K-pop fan’s most loved content, Idol Star Athletics Championships, aka ISAC, will be returning soon. On July 7, MBC revealed the filming dates and venues for this year’s Chuseok holiday special program. The filming will take place on July 30 and August 1, amidst an audience that has waited far too long to watch idols interact.
For K-pop fans, ISAC was a treasure trove of fun moments and interactions that they could hardly witness anywhere else. Boy and girl groups, irrespective of their agency, would get together under one roof, team up and interact with each other in various sports competitions.
MBC canceled the 2020 spectacle amidst growing COVID concerns. After that, it stopped airing. However, its comeback has now reignited enthusiasm in the entire K-pop fandom.
ISAC’s return has K-pop Twitter in shambles as fans wish to see their idols participate
The much-awaited and beloved idol variety show ISAC is returning this July. The show offered fans a close-up look of idols’ interaction with each other, their sports skills, their camaraderie and many more things. The multi-sport event started more than a decade ago in 2010, and instantly became a core part of a K-pop stan’s journey.
MBC confirmed that this year’s Chuseok Special episode will be filmed on July 30 and August 1. Venues for both the dates are different. The first day of filming will be held at the MBC Open Hall in Sangam while the second day of filming will take place at Goyang Gymnasium.
K-pop stan Twitter is understandably in chaos. Reactions remain divided over the ISAC’s comeback with predictions, expectations, and concerns all around. A major topic of discussion was guessing the lineup, as multiple groups and soloists will either be holding their comeback promotions, performing abroad or will be in the middle of their world tours.
Meanwhile, K-pop groups such as Weeekly, IVE, EPEX, CRAVITY, DRIPPIN and EVERGLOW are some of the idols that fans would like to see on the sport-variety show.
Take a look at fans’ reactions below.
Fans reminisce past iconic moments from the beloved multi-sport event
ISAC provided K-pop idols with an opportunity to shed their fierce on-stage persona and fashionable outfits. They faced the cameras and audiences in their most real and comfy selves with brightly colored pajamas and name tags.
The sports variety show provided fans with numerous interactions that are still memorable today, owing to the fact that they are a rare sight in the industry. Idols shared some adorable interactions with fans and more so with other agency’s groups.
One of the interactions that never fails to make people laugh is EXO’s Sehun mistaking SEVENTEEN’s Jeonghan for NCT 127’s Johnny. Another one that remains a mystery is Stray Kids’ member HAN whispering something in TWICE’s Mina’s ears. There was also the case of NCT's Yuta's ring rolling over to IZ*ONE's Yena.
K-pop fans are now eagerly awaiting new moments that the idols will carve in K-pop history at ISAC 2022.
