LE SSERAFIM Returns — M Countdown EP.926 Lineup Is Here

Mark April 30, 2026 on your calendar. M Countdown EP.926 airs Thursday at 6PM KST on Mnet — and if the teaser previewed by NCT WISH is any indication, this is not a week to miss. The episode brings together a lineup that spans major comebacks, a highly anticipated debut stage, and performances from some of the most-talked-about acts in K-pop right now.

World No.1 K-POP Chart Show, M Countdown is the flagship music program produced by Mnet, airing live every Thursday evening with real-time chart rankings and high-energy live performances. This week's episode is among the most stacked in recent memory — with no fewer than three groups staging major comeback performances on the same broadcast. The episode streams live on Tving for domestic viewers and globally through the Mnet platform.

LE SSERAFIM's Comeback Leads the Charge

The headline act of the evening is LE SSERAFIM, who return to the M Countdown stage with their new single "CELEBRATION." The five-member group — comprising Kim Chaewon, Sakura, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha, and Hong Eunchae — pre-released "CELEBRATION" on April 24, 2026, and have already brought the song to Music Bank, Show! Music Core, and Inkigayo in the days since. The M Countdown performance on April 30 marks another major stop on their promotional run, and fans can expect the same high-energy precision that defined their weekend showings.

"CELEBRATION" is LE SSERAFIM's lead single from their upcoming regular second album PUREFLOW pt.1, set for full release on May 22, 2026. Thematically, the track represents a meaningful evolution in the group's ongoing narrative: where their 2022 debut single "FEARLESS" declared an absence of fear, "CELEBRATION" acknowledges that fear is real — and marks the act of confronting it as an achievement worth celebrating in its own right. Members Kim Chaewon and Huh Yunjin participated directly in the songwriting process, lending the track a layer of personal authenticity that fans have responded to warmly.

Musically, "CELEBRATION" blends melodic techno and hardstyle elements into a high-energy sound that translates powerfully to a live stage. Fan reaction to their weekend performances has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic — particularly a standout moment where each music show ending featured witty, show-specific captions on screen, and Kim Chaewon's surprise appearance as a special MC on Music Core earned widespread praise. FEARNOT, LE SSERAFIM's fandom, has one more performance this week to look forward to.

ILLIT Makes Their Comeback on the Same Night

In a remarkable coincidence of timing, M Countdown EP.926 airs on the same day as ILLIT's official comeback. The group releases their fourth mini-album MAMIHLAPINATAPAI on April 30, 2026, with the title track "It's Me (이츠 미)" serving as their lead promotion. The M Countdown stage will rank among their first live broadcast performances of the new material — giving fans a front-row seat to the kind of debut-stage moment that tends to generate some of the most memorable reactions of any comeback cycle.

The timing is significant for ILLIT heading into a particularly competitive spring season. The group was recently nominated for "Best Female K-Pop Artist" at the 2026 American Music Awards, a recognition that underscores the global trajectory they've been building. Their M Countdown performance on April 30 arrives at a moment when international attention to the group is unusually high.

CRAVITY, TWS, NCT WISH, and More Pack the Lineup

CRAVITY is also fresh off a comeback, having released their eighth mini-album ReDeFINE on April 29, 2026 — one day before the broadcast. The nine-member group under Starship Entertainment brings their new material to M Countdown just 24 hours after release, making EP.926 their official broadcast debut stage for ReDeFINE. The group's recent activities have included a successful fan concert and Japan activity, and they enter this comeback with strong momentum behind them.

TWS (투어스) also features in the lineup, performing from their fifth mini-album NO TRAGEDY. The group, celebrating their second debut anniversary, launched the album to over one million pre-orders — a significant milestone that speaks to the loyalty they've built with their fanbase in a short time. Their latest comeback marks a deliberate shift toward a bolder, more assertive love concept, expanding on the warm youthful energy that defined their earlier releases. Their showmanship has been consistently praised across recent promotional appearances, and their M Countdown stage is expected to continue that form.

NCT WISH takes on a dual role for EP.926: they serve as the episode's hosts and deliver a performance of their own. The SM Entertainment six-member group is set to bring a Cupid-themed stage to the Mnet cameras, adding a visually distinctive element to an already diverse lineup. Their ability to navigate fluidly between presenter duties and live performance makes them natural anchors for an episode of this scale.

KATSEYE, Park Jihoon, NEXZ, and CORTIS Round Out the Bill

KATSEYE makes a notable appearance on the M Countdown stage in EP.926, giving the global K-pop group — formed through a collaboration between HYBE and Geffen Records — visibility with Mnet's core K-pop audience. The group's presence on one of K-pop's most established broadcast platforms reflects the growing crossover interest between traditional K-pop media and the newer global group format that KATSEYE represents.

Park Jihoon, the former Wanna One member who has built a consistent solo career since the group's conclusion, is also confirmed for the episode. NEXZ, the global K-pop act developed through a JYP Entertainment and Sony Music Japan collaboration, rounds out the full lineup alongside CORTIS, featured as part of M Countdown's Young Creator Crew showcase — a platform the program uses to spotlight emerging acts.

The breadth of the lineup — spanning fourth-generation girl groups, boy groups, solo artists, and globally developed acts — reflects what M Countdown does at its best: capture the full width of where K-pop stands at any given moment, in a single live broadcast.

How to Tune In

M Countdown EP.926 airs live on Mnet on Thursday, April 30, 2026, beginning at 6PM KST. Domestic viewers can stream through Tving. The confirmed lineup for the episode includes LE SSERAFIM, ILLIT, CRAVITY, TWS, NCT WISH, Park Jihoon, KATSEYE, NEXZ, and CORTIS — with NCT WISH also serving as hosts for the evening.

For fans of the broader spring K-pop season, EP.926 serves as something of a live summary of the most competitive comeback period in recent memory. Multiple groups are landing major releases in rapid succession, and seeing several of them perform on the same stage within hours of their new music going public makes for an episode that even casual viewers will find difficult to scroll past.