November 8, 2026 | K-POP News · Japan · Television
aespa, Stray Kids, ILLIT and CORTIS are among the K-pop artists confirmed for Fuji TV’s 2026 FNS Music Festival, which will air live across two nights in December. The first wave of 36 announced performers also includes BABYMONSTER, NCT DREAM, RIIZE and &TEAM, giving this year’s winter music programme a substantial Korean pop presence.
December 2: Stray Kids, ILLIT, CORTIS and BABYMONSTER
Fuji TV’s first-night broadcast is scheduled for Wednesday, December 2, from 6:30 p.m. to 11:18 p.m. Japan time. The confirmed K-pop acts on this night include Stray Kids, ILLIT, CORTIS and BABYMONSTER. The initial list also features JO1, GENERATIONS, Snow Man, Number_i, HANA and other Japanese performers.
The network highlighted CORTIS and BABYMONSTER as first-time participants in the festival. That distinction adds interest to their appearance, particularly alongside artists who already have an established audience in Japan. Actual song choices and the running order were not fully announced in the initial November 3 lineup release.
For groups preparing for their first FNS appearance, the programme offers exposure to a different kind of audience. Viewers may tune in for Japanese pop favourites and discover a Korean act during the same broadcast. That crossover is part of the appeal of a televised music festival: the lineup brings performers from different markets together without asking audiences to follow a single genre.
December 9: aespa, NCT DREAM, RIIZE and &TEAM
The second night will air on Wednesday, December 9, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:54 p.m. Japan time. Confirmed performers include aespa, NCT DREAM, RIIZE and &TEAM, as well as Japanese artists and groups such as INI, EXILE, aiko, SixTONES and King & Prince.
Together, the two broadcasts will present roughly eight and a half hours of music. Masaki Aiba and Fuji TV announcer Kiyoka Inoue are returning as hosts, with a mix of Japanese favourites, international acts and special television-only segments planned across the programme.
The split across two Wednesdays also gives fans a clear way to follow the artists they care about. Someone waiting for ILLIT or Stray Kids should keep December 2 in mind, while aespa and RIIZE are listed for December 9. The exact order of performances remains a separate question. Until Fuji TV publishes its detailed timetable, an appearance on the lineup should not be treated as confirmation of a particular time slot.
Why the cross-border lineup matters
The range of K-pop performers reflects the importance of Japan as both a major music market and an audience for Korean acts at different career stages. Established names such as aespa and Stray Kids will share the festival’s wider television platform with newer artists including CORTIS. For viewers, it is an opportunity to see those acts in a programme that reaches well beyond the usual K-pop fan audience.
There is one important scheduling detail for overseas fans: the programme’s first 30 minutes, from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., are announced as a Kanto-region broadcast, followed by a nationwide broadcast from 7 p.m. Broadcast and streaming access outside Japan may vary, so international viewers should check Fuji TV’s official information.
What has and has not been announced
The November 3 announcement confirms appearances, not the songs each group will perform or the precise time each act will take the stage. Fuji TV has indicated that additional information will follow, and its official website currently lists the detailed time table as forthcoming. Fans should treat unverified social media running orders cautiously.
More coverage of confirmed artists is available in the KWaveScope A–Z artist directory.
2026 FNS Music Festival: K-pop lineup at a glance
| Broadcast date | Confirmed K-pop artists | Scheduled broadcast (JST) |
|---|---|---|
| December 2, 2026 | Stray Kids, ILLIT, CORTIS, BABYMONSTER | 6:30–11:18 p.m. |
| December 9, 2026 | aespa, NCT DREAM, RIIZE, &TEAM | 6:30–9:54 p.m. |
Planning to watch? Keep an eye on Fuji TV’s published timetable as the broadcast dates approach. Confirmed lineup announcements identify participating artists, but they do not yet establish their songs or exact appearance times. You can also visit the Stray Kids, ILLIT and aespa artist profiles for other K-pop coverage, or use the K-POP Calendar to browse upcoming events.
Sources
Fuji TV — November 3, 2026 first lineup announcement · 2026 FNS Music Festival — official schedule and artists.