After more than a decade on air, 'Simply K-Pop' has officially announced its final broadcast, marking the end of an era for one of the most accessible music shows for rookie idols and groups from smaller agencies. First launched in 2012 on Arirang TV, the program has been widely praised for offering valuable stage opportunities and high-quality fancams, especially for lesser-known artists.
On July 16, news of the program’s conclusion quickly spread across fan communities, accompanied by a final episode notice for longtime MC Lee Dae Hwi of AB6IX. Dae Hwi, who has hosted the show solo since March 2022, earned praise for his steady presence and professionalism throughout his tenure. This marks his second major music show MC role, following his stint on 'M Countdown' from 2019 to 2021, making him one of the longest-serving idol MCs in recent years.
Korean fans expressed heartfelt disappointment, especially highlighting how 'Simply K-Pop' served as a rare stage for rookie and mid-tier idols who often struggle to gain exposure on major broadcasts.
Korean netizens and fans gathered in a popular online community to express their sadness, but agreed the show's declining viewership could have been the reason for its cancellation. They commented:
"Whoa, I thought only Dae Hwi was leaving, but the whole program is ending… Dae Hwi, you worked hard."
"Dae Hwi, thank you for your hard work. I’m so sad... One precious music show is gone."
"It was such a valuable stage for rookies and idols from small companies. This is really disappointing."
"Whoa nooo… This was one of the few shows I could keep up with. This is such a loss."
"My idol actually got popular thanks to their 'Simply K-Pop' fancam… I’m so sad…"
"I attended a live recording of 'Simply K-Pop' once… This is disappointing."
"Now it’ll be even harder to see smaller agency idols on music shows."
"Whoa… First, Arirang ended 'After School Club,' and now they’re ending 'Simply K-Pop' too."
"It was the best among public live recordings."
"Whoa, Simply K-Pop had such great live recordings. This is such a loss."
"It was the only place even really small company idols could go…"
"It’s a shame… My idol doesn’t appear anymore because they’ve been around for too long, but still..."
"Dae Hwi, you did great for 4 years!"
"Honestly, a show needs enough demand to keep going, but not enough people were watching. It was bound to get canceled..."
"Whoa, it’s really disappearing…"
"I used to watch it a lot when I was into small-agency idols."
"This was one of the rare places where small-agency idols could perform… This sucks."
"Whoa 'Simply K-Pop'??? That’s insane… It was one of the few shows that small agency idols could actually appear on."
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