“Awful idea”— Fans slam SBS Inkigayo’s latest charting criteria changes to include international music charts and platforms

SBS Inkigayo recently made major changes to its scoring system, and fans have been vocal about their concerns. On September 16, 2024, the program announced the new points system, which will come into effect starting with the October 6 episode. One of the most talked-about changes is the inclusion of global music platform streaming data in the digital score used to determine the weekly winners.

While many fans see this as a positive step toward acknowledging the international audience's influence, there’s also worry about its potential impact.

Several fans have voiced their frustration, fearing that this shift could reduce the diversity of winners on Inkigayo and make it harder for rising artists to gain recognition.

"Feels like this loses the novelty of winning on inkigayo bc it was one of the hardest to win due to digitals in kr so it was a significant win for artists. I guess music shows in general are also losing its significance alr these days (imo)," a fan said.

"The show is gonna have even more fraud," a frustrated fan said.

"Big 4 stans celebrating the changes & saying Melon is fraud, when in fact, YT & Spotify is also fraud. Privileges coming from big companies with so many playlisting, it will def be sad to see big groups just competing over again, while groups from small to mid size are left out," another fan claimed.

Some other fans added,

"No more competition… and that's another reason why interest in K-pop has been lost. with these changes, it's quite predictable which groups will win everything in the future. this will lead to medium or small-sized companies and groups having less visibility and not being part of the competitive group," a fan made a huge statement.

"Why does korean music shows are changing their criteria to cater global charts when they are a KOREAN music show in the 1st place like??? this will only hinder groups from smaller companies from winning and will only benefit the artists from big labels," another fan claimed.

"It was always about big labels," a fan stated.

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SBS Inkigayo to undergo significant marking system changes

SBS Inkigayo is a long-standing South Korean music television program that has aired every Sunday since 1998, playing a pivotal role in the K-pop industry. The show is renowned for featuring weekly live performances from both rookie and established artists, giving fans a chance to see their favorite idols on stage.

Over the years, Inkigayo has been a core platform for Korean audiences to support their favorite songs and artists through voting, shaping the chart system that determines the weekly winners. However, Inkigayo is now undergoing a major shift as it adapts to the increasing influence of global K-pop fans.

Starting from the October 6, 2024, episode, the show will integrate international music streaming data from platforms like Spotify and iTunes into its digital score. This change is seen as a way to acknowledge the global reach of K-pop, giving international fans more say in the results.

The new point system is as follows:

• Global music platform data will now be added to the Digital score (though which platforms will be used hasn't been specified yet).
• The Digital score ratio will be reduced to 50% (a maximum of 5,000 points).
• The SNS score ratio will also be reduced to 20% (a maximum of 2,000 points).

While this move is meant to reflect the international growth of K-pop, it has sparked controversy among fans. Many believe that Inkigayo, being a Korean music show, should primarily cater to domestic fans. They argue that incorporating international streaming data will disproportionately benefit larger, more globally popular artists, making it harder for smaller groups with a primarily Korean fanbase to win.

Fans are concerned that this shift will make it easier for "big 4" K-pop companies—SM, JYP, YG, and HYBE—to dominate the charts, as their artists tend to have a wider international reach. This could leave smaller groups struggling to gain recognition, particularly since Korean music shows have traditionally been a vital platform for showcasing lesser-known talent.

Although the changes won't take effect until early October, fans are already voicing their frustrations and debating how this new system will impact the competition. Many are anxious to see how the revised scoring method will shape the future of Inkigayo and the broader K-pop industry.