Credit: MBC
The Idol Star Athletics Championships (ISAC)—a holiday tradition and fan favorite—returns in 2025.
Ahead of the Chuseok broadcast this October, the production team held pre-recordings on August 25th, drawing a record 61 teams and 373 idols to the competition. But as always with large-scale fandom events, the buzz wasn’t only about medals.
Attention focused on the stars’ “fan service gifts,” a tradition where idols treat fans in attendance. This year, agencies doubled down to avoid any kind of controversy—making sure no fandom felt overlooked.
&TEAM served up a luxury meal featuring steak and eel, while CRAVITY and NouerA leaned into comfort food, handing out Yuptteok spicy rice cakes—one full portion per fan.
Credit: Online Communities
Some groups went practical. With marathon filming that stretched from early morning until nearly 1 AM, the hottest commodity wasn’t food but phone battery. Group Ahop nailed it by gifting fully charged power banks, even having staff members check every unit one by one. Fans dubbed it “legendary fan service.”
Others focused on fans’ late-night journeys home. Band LUCY, through agency Mystic Story, gifted fans 30,000 KRW (approx. $22) Kakao vouchers—a gentle nudge to take a taxi and get home safely. Fans praised the gesture: “This goes beyond fan service” and “The members planned it themselves—so thoughtful.”
Controversy Erupts as ‘Idol Star Athletics Championships’ Returns with Injuries and Fan Disputes
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