Following his discharge from military service, NCT’s Taeyong stepped up to replace SHINee’s Key and delivered a flawless performance at the ‘2025 SBS Gayo Daejeon’.
On the 25th, the ‘2025 SBS Gayo Daejeon’ took place at the Inspire Arena in Incheon Yeongjong-do. IVE’s Ahn Yu-jin, who served as an MC for six consecutive years, was joined by new MCs DAY6’s Young K and NCT’s Jaemin.
The event, themed ‘Golden Loop’, showcased the brilliant journey of K-Pop in 2025 and hinted at an endlessly expanding and brighter future.
The lineup included U-Know Yunho, Taeyong, NCT Dream, The Boyz, Stray Kids, ATEEZ, ITZY, Tomorrow X Together, Treasure, aespa, ENHYPEN, IVE, NMIXX, LE SSERAFIM, &TEAM, BOYNEXTDOOR, ZEROBASEONE, RIIZE, TWS, NCT WISH, ILLIT, BABYMONSTER, NEXZ, MIYAO, IZZUNA, Kickflip, Hearts2Hearts, KIKI, Skins, HITGZ, AllDay Project, Baby Don’t Cry, A9, Kortis, AMP, and IDIT, featuring a total of 36 teams.
During the second half of the show, NCT’s Taeyong took the stage with a segment titled ‘TY IS BACK’. Sporting bold red attire, he captivated the audience with his solo track ‘SHALALA’ from his debut solo album, released in 2023. His seamless live performance and powerful energy drew an enthusiastic response from the audience. Notably, he garnered attention with his short black hair, a nod to his recent military service discharge.
While most artists performed songs released this year, Taeyong garnered attention by presenting a track from two years ago. Interestingly, Taeyong was not initially on the ‘2025 SBS Gayo Daejeon’ lineup just ten days prior to the event.
SHINee’s Key was originally scheduled to appear at the event, but following a controversy involving an individual known as ‘injection aunt’ Lee, who is suspected of illegal medical practice, he had to suspend all scheduled activities, leading to his absence on stage.
Amid speculation regarding Key’s sudden withdrawal, ‘2025 SBS Gayo Daejeon’ added Taeyong’s name to the lineup on the 16th, a day before Key’s activity suspension on the 17th. Freshly discharged from his naval service on the 14th, Taeyong’s swift comeback was announced via ‘Gayo Daejeon’. On the 18th, organizers subsequently removed Key’s name from the official poster for the event. Essentially, Taeyong was urgently brought in to fill the void left by his senior, Key.
Despite the short preparation time, the performance was seamless, leaving no hint of disruption. Viewers praised his live performance, stating, “Is it true he just came back from discharge?”, “His live singing is superb,” and “He looks even better after bulking up.”
Meanwhile, Taeyong, born in 1995, enlisted in the navy last April. He completed his service in the Navy Music Corps and was discharged on the 14th.
Taeyong will meet fans at the ‘2026 Taeyong Concert
Recently, SHINee’s Key faced controversy over allegations of a connection with an individual identified as ‘injection aunt’, who is suspected of illegal medical practice. Following a long silence, Key disclosed through his agency, “I was only recently made aware of the medical license issues involving Lee and am deeply shocked. I deeply regret my ignorance and have decided to step down from all scheduled events and ongoing programs, recognizing the gravity of this matter.”
Consequently, Key will step down from tvN’s ‘Amazing Saturday’ and MBC’s ‘I Live Alone’. He will also not participate as an MC at SBS ‘Gayo Daejeon’ or MBC’s ‘Entertainment Awards’.
Image source: Xportsnews Park Ji-young, SBS
