ABEMA and South Korea's SLL Join Forces for First Time! Fan-Participatory K-POP Music Show 'HYPE STAGE' Premieres Exclusively and Free on ABEMA Starting September 11 (Fri) at 10 PM

ABEMA, the new future of television, announces the exclusive and free domestic broadcast of 'HYPE STAGE,' a new style fan-participatory K-POP music program, starting Friday, September 11, 2026, at 10:00 PM JST. This marks the first collaboration between ABEMA and SLL, a content production studio under South Korea's JTBC.

'HYPE STAGE' is a music program where K-POP artists deliver their true personalities and affection directly to Japanese fans. The show will spotlight one artist every two weeks, featuring high-quality live performances and special segments designed to showcase the full charm of each artist.

A key feature of the program is its direct incorporation of fan requests and voting into the content. Special stages with concepts determined by pre-voting on ABEMA's official social media, along with fan-linked initiatives like the 'Favorite Artist Investigation Team,' will bring to life those 'I've always wanted to see this!' moments. This two-way entertainment experience allows fans to co-create the ultimate stage alongside their favorite artists. Join us in enjoying this exciting space where artists and fans unite to create magic.

Trendsetting 'HYPE' Artists to Appear! First Guest: 'ALPHA DRIVE ONE'

The show will welcome today’s most talked-about 'HYPE' artists. For the landmark first episodes (#1 and #2), ALPHA DRIVE ONE—formed through the globally popular audition program 'BOYS II PLANET'—will appear as guests. The program will deliver not only powerful stage performances but also special content such as talk segments and game challenges, revealing the members’ authentic personalities and charm.

After filming, members of ALPHA DRIVE ONE shared their thoughts on the experience and what fans should look forward to:

1) If you had to pick the most radiant member during filming, who would it be? Please explain.

LEO

It's hard to pick just one, as every member truly shone. Everyone worked incredibly hard preparing for this comeback, and I think that effort naturally showed through during filming.

XINLONG

All members performed well, both in performance and variety aspects. Especially in performance, their facial expressions were confident and controlled, and their movements were truly cool—perfectly matching the vibe of this song.

2) With so many segments like talk corners, games, and fan voting, what part do you most want fans to watch?

JUNSEO

I'd love fans to see how genuinely we enjoy ourselves while playing games and the chemistry between members.

SANGWON

I hope fans can enjoy watching us have fun and be ourselves across various segments, sharing in the experience together.

3) Was there any fan-vote ranking that surprised you the most?

ARNO

The ranking 'Which member could sleep even if a mosquito were buzzing near their ear?' surprised me the most. Since I actually am that type, it felt strange yet heartwarming to realize fans know me even better than I thought.

ANXIN

Rather than a specific ranking, the fact that fans see me in these particular ways was the most refreshing. Seeing the voting results helped me understand how fans perceive me, which was truly fun and deeply appreciated.

SANGHYEON

I wasn’t surprised by most results because fans really do know us well. But the result saying 'ANXIN can sleep anywhere' was a bit unexpected—actually, ANXIN is quite sensitive to noise when sleeping! (Laughs)

Future episodes will also feature top-tier artists, with popular girl group NiziU confirmed to appear in episodes #3 and #4.

'HYPE STAGE,' a new K-POP music program co-created by fans and artists, brought to you by ABEMA. The premiere airs on Friday, September 11, at 10:00 PM. Don’t miss it!

Program Overview: 'HYPE STAGE'

Broadcast every Friday at 10:00 PM (Exact dates announced via ABEMA K-POP & Korean Drama official SNS)

Program Homepage: https://abema.tv/video/title/327-127

<#1>

Broadcast Date & Time: September 11 (Fri), 10:00 PM onwards

Viewing URL: https://abema.tv/channels/k-world/slots/CtNHQnojZTVD91

<#2>

Broadcast Date & Time: September 18 (Fri), 10:00 PM onwards

Viewing URL: https://abema.tv/channels/k-world/slots/ETZD22fGB9ut6K

ABEMA K-POP & Korean Drama SNS Accounts

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/abema_kpopdrama

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kpop_abema

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@abema_kpopdrama

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kpop_ABEMA